West Jersey Detecting
Gold Member
First of all, this is not a metal detecting find. Last night I got an email with photos attached from a person who's father purchased coins at an estate sale. This coin was part of the lot, and they are asking me if I think it is worth sending out for grading. They were not sure if it is genuine due to the seam along the edge. Between that and the sharp detail is what makes me think it is a copy, as the known silver St. Patrick coins all had weak strikes.
From Coinfacts:
These coins are notorious for their weak strikes, and the Garrett collection contained the only finer examples. PCGS has graded only 2 this high, with none graded higher in silver, of a total of just 8 examples graded. A foremost rarity in top grade, and worthy of the finest collection. This is a regular die issue but was struck in silver, known as an "off metal striking". These St. Patrick or Newbie's coppers were struck in the Tower Mint in London around 1641-42. The Catholic troops of Charles I had to be paid, and once the Long Parliament seized the Tower Mint, these coins were used to pay the loyalist troops fighting Cromwell's Protestant forces in the Ulster Rebellion. The tide turned against the King, and soon Cromwell was in charge, and the new ruling Protestants suppressed everything Catholic, such as these coins. The St. Patrick coins went into hiding. Next these coins appeared in Catholic Ireland and the Isle of Man, where they circulated until they were declared uncurrent in 1679. Mark Newbie, a Quaker, moved to Ireland and bought up a great many of these coins knowing that small change would be a valuable commodity in America, where he was planning to join fellow Quakers in 1681. Newbie used his considerable political influence to have these coins made legal tender, forcing their acceptance by the populace. Newbie died a year after his arrival in the Colonies, but his coins continued to circulate for many generations to come."
I doubt that this is genuine, but I figured, let me post it here and see what my fellow TNet members think.
From Coinfacts:
These coins are notorious for their weak strikes, and the Garrett collection contained the only finer examples. PCGS has graded only 2 this high, with none graded higher in silver, of a total of just 8 examples graded. A foremost rarity in top grade, and worthy of the finest collection. This is a regular die issue but was struck in silver, known as an "off metal striking". These St. Patrick or Newbie's coppers were struck in the Tower Mint in London around 1641-42. The Catholic troops of Charles I had to be paid, and once the Long Parliament seized the Tower Mint, these coins were used to pay the loyalist troops fighting Cromwell's Protestant forces in the Ulster Rebellion. The tide turned against the King, and soon Cromwell was in charge, and the new ruling Protestants suppressed everything Catholic, such as these coins. The St. Patrick coins went into hiding. Next these coins appeared in Catholic Ireland and the Isle of Man, where they circulated until they were declared uncurrent in 1679. Mark Newbie, a Quaker, moved to Ireland and bought up a great many of these coins knowing that small change would be a valuable commodity in America, where he was planning to join fellow Quakers in 1681. Newbie used his considerable political influence to have these coins made legal tender, forcing their acceptance by the populace. Newbie died a year after his arrival in the Colonies, but his coins continued to circulate for many generations to come."
I doubt that this is genuine, but I figured, let me post it here and see what my fellow TNet members think.
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