Large Cent Exonumia NEWP - A piece of Americana

MWallace · February 27, 2011 2:42AM

savoyspecial · February 27, 2011 2:46AM

Sonorandesertrat · February 27, 2011 2:53AM

Maybe someone's spur, or a frontier pie cutter?

ThePennyLady · February 27, 2011 2:59AM

<< <i>Maybe someone's spur, or a frontier pie cutter? >>

These were sometimes made for use as pie cutters or mechanical gears. I have a couple too...

Barndog · February 27, 2011 3:05AM

throwing stars for tiny ninjas?

notwilight · February 27, 2011 3:12AM

I'd say that is a special gear cut to catch a ratchet type cog in a clockworks. --Jerry

MWallace · March 5, 2011 8:39PM

<< <i>I'd say that is a special gear cut to catch a ratchet type cog in a clockworks. >>

Jerry, You are the second person to say it was possibly used in a clock. Very probable.

KiltedOne · March 5, 2011 8:55PM

From the looks of it, the hole is not centered and would wobble unevenly. Could not have been a clock gear in my opinion.

I would say a pie cutter or spur.

notwilight · March 5, 2011 9:31PM

Pendulum clocks require a rocking mechanism to ensure the time is kept accurately independent of stroke length. Here is a sketch of the mechanism that needs a gear shaped like the OP. The hole would certainly be better in the middle but you can see that this large rocking mechanism can accomodate some off roundness.

--Jerry

ricko · March 6, 2011 12:07AM

We see these quite frequently here on the forum... and I have seen a couple at coin shows. General consensus is as noted above. No one seems to be able to clearly state which were the actual application.. although as a spur it would be very diminutive and not likely. Cheers, RickO