Any Canada token experts here?

jonathanb · July 14, 2013 3:56AM

I bought this a little while ago simply because I couldn't figure out what it is. Now that I've had it for a bit... I still can't figure out what it is.

This is sort of in the flavor of Charlton NS-4 / Breton 870, except without legends on the reverse... and silver rather than copper. I'd say that it must be silver plated, except that the weight is also wrong (17.4 grams, compared with an expected 12.8-16.6 grams) and the difference in weight would be appropriate for the difference between silver (density 10.5) and copper (density 8.9)

Has anyone seen anything similar?

syl · July 14, 2013 6:50AM

I posted this on a private site where there are some expert token folks.

1960NYGiants · July 14, 2013 12:28PM

Very interesting looking piece. I've never seen one like it with the reverse legend and date completely missing. What is the diameter and is the edge reeded or plain or engrailed? If reeded or engrailed, what direction ||||| or ///// or \\?

I will send a link to this thread to Greg Ingram and Branko Marelic. They are the authors of "The Provincial Penny and Halfpenny Tokens of Nova Scotia - Thistle series". I'll post their response.

edit to add: I just took another look at the shape and configuration of the Thistle. In my opinion this is not one of the NS-4 (contemporary counterfeits) because the leaf forks are not crudely done. I think it is a variation of / or incomplete copy of one of the NS-2 varieties. It certainly requires closer examination.

jonathanb · July 14, 2013 1:26PM

Diameter is 33.4 mm. Edge is engrailed, \\\

Agree that this also looks close to NS-2, especially on the reverse leaves. I'm not sure that the obverse matches either NS-2 or NS-4, especially at the top of the head near OF.

I think this must be plated. I see some spots on the edge where the plating might have flaked off a while ago. It's dark-on-dark, so hard to be sure. I'm going to sleep on it and them maybe take a knife and see if I can reveal some copper for sure.

1960NYGiants · July 15, 2013 1:42PM

Can you post a close view of the knot at the bow and of the hairs below OF?

jonathanb · July 16, 2013 10:06AM

Apparently I can't post a close view. I'm having a hard time getting decent contrast in the picture. Here's a picture that's larger. I don't think it's particularly better.

That said, I took a knife to an existing rim nick, and I made it a slightly larger rim nick. I've convinced myself that there's copper underneath the silver. So, I guess that someone was bored and gave this a heavy plating. After polishing off the reverse text. Or something like that...

LochNESS · July 16, 2013 9:26PM

Curious to hear what Ingram and Marelic have to say ...

colonialtokens · July 25, 2013 2:53AM

At casual inspection, I believe this to be a genuine token which someone, for one reason or another, decided to make some
after mint creative modifications. Perhaps the plating was to camouflage evidence of tool marks.

doug

1960NYGiants · July 25, 2013 11:25AM

The feedback I received from Greg and Branko were more of curiosity than anything else. Neither has seen an example with the legend "missing". Both said that they would need to examine the piece "hands on".

Doug may be correct in that it is an altered piece and plated or washed to hide the toolmarks.

Any Canada token experts here?

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