Can some of you experts ID this for me....

millennium · September 5, 2004 7:52AM

I can not find a match anywhere on the internet for this coin......The 3d- like castle keeps thowing me off....We (Lordmarcovan and I) are sure it is Spanish, but not sure of the date period...

Roughly the size of an American nickel...
Thanks!

Askari · September 5, 2004 9:00AM

Can't check right now, but three-crenelation "castle" crowns are common among Italian coinage ... and Spain owned some of it for quite a while, like Naples.

lordmarcovan · September 5, 2004 10:01AM

I think it is homeland Spain, and a maravedis denomination, though I am not sure of which denomination. Early 1600's, roughly 1602-1630's, is my guess.

My 17th century Krause is only the first edition and does not give any pictures or sizes to attribute the copper minors, merely a text description of obverse and reverse designs. I am guessing this to be a 2-maravedi or 4-maravedi but I really don't know. The 3-maravedi was a one-year type according to my Krause. (1602, I think it was).

Since the date and a lot of the legends of Steve's coin there are apparently struck off the flan, I don't have a whole lot to go on.

That mark to the right of the castle (looks like an upside-down T over an A) is interesting to me- perhaps a mintmark of some sort?

GDJMSP · September 5, 2004 2:43PM

The Spanish 2 maravedis from the early 1600's does have a similar design - but only similar. Both the rampant lion and the castle are distinctly different.

I could be wrong - but that lion looks more like a coinage design from the Netherlands - perhaps a duit.

Askari · September 5, 2004 2:50PM

Spanish Netherlands?

coachleonard · September 5, 2004 5:11PM

I'm pretty certain it's a 1556-98 Spanish copper 2 or 4 maravedies.
Though i wouldn't rule out 1598-1621.

1jester · September 5, 2004 5:52PM

I also think the rampant lion indicates the Netherlands. Sorry I can't give any more hints, as you guys know much more than I!

MadMuffin · September 5, 2004 7:47PM

I agree with the Holey Lord, it's probably from the early 1600s (or perhaps late 1500s) and from homeland Spain. They usually look like that - apparently they were struck in a hurry!

Marcel

lordmarcovan · September 5, 2004 10:23PM

I thought about Spanish Netherlands.

I still think it's a homeland Spain 2- or 4-maravedis, like Coach said. Could be late 1500's but I don't have any reference on those, which is why I guessed early 1600's- it fits some of the vague descriptions mentioned in Krause for those.

lordmarcovan · September 6, 2004 1:01PM

One small clue that he forgot to add is that it was found here in Brunswick, GA, with a metal detector, which doesn't necessarily rule out other countries, but does make it all the more likely to be Spanish, in my opinion. Other early maravedis have been found here (you can read about my 1658 on my eBay page if you haven't already), and this area was Spanish and Indian until Oglethorpe and the Brits arrived in the 1730's. The Battle of Bloody Marsh in July of 1742 drove the Spanish back into Florida for good.

I'm 99% certain this coin is Spanish, and from the late 1500's to early 1600's- I just can't be certain of the exact date or denomination. Of course, if one of you can prove me wrong, I'll publicly eat my Holey Gold Hat.

Can some of you experts ID this for me....

Comments