1722 Rosa Americana Two Pence Token, Two Skeleton Keys

[Eastender]

Today I found my second Rosa Americana token, and like my first one she is rough. Has the Tudor rose on reverse. Their funky metal composition made these coins rough from the mint and they do not hold up as well as British and early American coppers buried in the ground. But a great piece of early colonial history nonetheless and I'm happy to own another. It's only my third King George I coin I've found detecting to date. I've made no attempt to clean it but it does have detail. What looks like warts seems like punch hits as opposed to good old corrosion but they could have been caused during the minting process. My Nox 800 picked it up at 4" depth isolated in the forest floor, pegged 18 in Field One with sensitivity maxed at 25.

For those of you unfamiliar with these William Wood token series, here is a description posted on the coins.nd.edu website:

"The coins were made of an alloy called Bath metal composed of 75% brass, 20% zinc (mixed with tin and bismuth) and 5% silver and were to weigh slightly less than half the weight of English coins. The Bath metal planchets had to be hot when they were impressed between the dies to keep the dies from cracking. The heating of the planchets caused gas bubbles to form in the metal, as the planchets were struck while they were hot, these small bubbles did not have a chance to escape and therefore they produced a porous surface on the coins, often with some discoloration."

And it's my second time to find two skeleton keys in one day. I found them hours and hills apart.

We will see what tomorrow brings as I will be back at it.

 

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[Eastender]

The copper nail pictured with the keys is interesting because I am next to the ocean so it could be associated with wooden ships.

 

[MD Ghost F75]

Today I found my second Rosa Americana token, and like my first one she is rough. Has the Tudor rose on reverse. Their funky metal composition made these coins rough from the mint and they do not hold up as well as British and early American coppers buried in the ground. But a great piece of early colonial history nonetheless and I'm happy to own another. It's only my third King George I coin I've found detecting to date. I've made no attempt to clean it but it does have detail. What looks like warts seems like punch hits as opposed to good old corrosion but they could have been caused during the minting process. My Nox 800 picked it up at 4" depth isolated in the forest floor, pegged 18 in Field One with sensitivity maxed at 25.

For those of you unfamiliar with these William Wood token series, here is a description posted on the coins.nd.edu website:

"The coins were made of an alloy called Bath metal composed of 75% brass, 20% zinc (mixed with tin and bismuth) and 5% silver and were to weigh slightly less than half the weight of English coins. The Bath metal planchets had to be hot when they were impressed between the dies to keep the dies from cracking. The heating of the planchets caused gas bubbles to form in the metal, as the planchets were struck while they were hot, these small bubbles did not have a chance to escape and therefore they produced a porous surface on the coins, often with some discoloration."

And it's my second time to find two skeleton keys in one day. I found them hours and hills apart.

We will see what tomorrow brings as I will be back at it.

Wow! Didn’t know anything about that token, what a find!

 

[Eastender]

More details on this coinage. Story involves the King's Mistress.

Rosa Americana Coppers: Introduction

From Coins of Colonial and Early America, an exhibit of over 250 items from Massachusetts silver to the provisional half disme of 1792. Features high-resolution images and detailed descriptions.

coins.nd.edu

 

[Digger RJ]

Today I found my second Rosa Americana token, and like my first one she is rough. Has the Tudor rose on reverse. Their funky metal composition made these coins rough from the mint and they do not hold up as well as British and early American coppers buried in the ground. But a great piece of early colonial history nonetheless and I'm happy to own another. It's only my third King George I coin I've found detecting to date. I've made no attempt to clean it but it does have detail. What looks like warts seems like punch hits as opposed to good old corrosion but they could have been caused during the minting process. My Nox 800 picked it up at 4" depth isolated in the forest floor, pegged 18 in Field One with sensitivity maxed at 25.

For those of you unfamiliar with these William Wood token series, here is a description posted on the coins.nd.edu website:

"The coins were made of an alloy called Bath metal composed of 75% brass, 20% zinc (mixed with tin and bismuth) and 5% silver and were to weigh slightly less than half the weight of English coins. The Bath metal planchets had to be hot when they were impressed between the dies to keep the dies from cracking. The heating of the planchets caused gas bubbles to form in the metal, as the planchets were struck while they were hot, these small bubbles did not have a chance to escape and therefore they produced a porous surface on the coins, often with some discoloration."

And it's my second time to find two skeleton keys in one day. I found them hours and hills apart.

We will see what tomorrow brings as I will be back at it.

Very Cool!!! Congrats!!!

 

[lenmac65]

That token has some nice detail remaining; so interesting. I found one of those in 2018 that had been cut in half. Congrats and good luck.

 

[Jeff H]

Yep typical look for a Rosa, but still a great find anyday. Congrats.

 

[l.cutler]

Great find and congratulations! I collect Rosa Americanas and there is much speculation as to how much they actually circulated in America. I love to see these posted as it does indicate their circulation, would you mind posting what state and general area it was located?

 

[JeffInMass]

Outstanding find- Congrats! Love the skeleton keys as well.

 

[oldmxrat]

Super finds, congrats!

 

[Bamasteve]

Awesome finds! Way to go

 

[Rhapsody]

Today I found my second Rosa Americana token, and like my first one she is rough. Has the Tudor rose on reverse. Their funky metal composition made these coins rough from the mint and they do not hold up as well as British and early American coppers buried in the ground. But a great piece of early colonial history nonetheless and I'm happy to own another. It's only my third King George I coin I've found detecting to date. I've made no attempt to clean it but it does have detail. What looks like warts seems like punch hits as opposed to good old corrosion but they could have been caused during the minting process. My Nox 800 picked it up at 4" depth isolated in the forest floor, pegged 18 in Field One with sensitivity maxed at 25.

For those of you unfamiliar with these William Wood token series, here is a description posted on the coins.nd.edu website:

"The coins were made of an alloy called Bath metal composed of 75% brass, 20% zinc (mixed with tin and bismuth) and 5% silver and were to weigh slightly less than half the weight of English coins. The Bath metal planchets had to be hot when they were impressed between the dies to keep the dies from cracking. The heating of the planchets caused gas bubbles to form in the metal, as the planchets were struck while they were hot, these small bubbles did not have a chance to escape and therefore they produced a porous surface on the coins, often with some discoloration."

And it's my second time to find two skeleton keys in one day. I found them hours and hills apart.

We will see what tomorrow brings as I will be back at it.

KG1 has a very interesting shaped shnozz, kind of looks like owen wilson to me..lol anyway great finds, keys are awesome to find!

 

[Silvermonkey]

That's a great collection of finds eastender. Finding multiple skeleton keys is pretty unusual...at least in my book. I'm drooling over Rosa America. Wow!!!

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

WOW !!!

 

[CASPER-2]

Rosa's are rare to find - heres mine as found and after electrolysis

 

[Eastender]

Thanks everyone for the interest and follow up comments. Mine also cleaned nicely. I admit I was surprised to find it. I was perplexed when I pulled it from the ground. I'm used to seeing KGII coinage, but I did recognize KGI's nose!

Interesting how finds either correspond to written history or they don't, or somewhere in between. Now that I've found two Rosa's within two years around a mile apart, maybe they aren't as rare as thought. Or at least in my area which had strong maritime linkage throughout New England. If I find another I will begin to wonder. I read only two Rosa's were discovered in the Colonial Williamsburg excavations. I believe the written accounts that 1600's to mid-1700's coinage was rare in colonial NE America (New York and Boston as exceptions).

Attached is a link to a 1903 publication: "The Coinage of William Wood" by Philip Nelson MD., a member of the Numismatic Society of London. Great picture plates.

The Coinage of William Wood, 1722-1733

books.google.com

 

[Florida Finder]

Today I found my second Rosa Americana token, and like my first one she is rough. Has the Tudor rose on reverse. Their funky metal composition made these coins rough from the mint and they do not hold up as well as British and early American coppers buried in the ground. But a great piece of early colonial history nonetheless and I'm happy to own another. It's only my third King George I coin I've found detecting to date. I've made no attempt to clean it but it does have detail. What looks like warts seems like punch hits as opposed to good old corrosion but they could have been caused during the minting process. My Nox 800 picked it up at 4" depth isolated in the forest floor, pegged 18 in Field One with sensitivity maxed at 25.

For those of you unfamiliar with these William Wood token series, here is a description posted on the coins.nd.edu website:

"The coins were made of an alloy called Bath metal composed of 75% brass, 20% zinc (mixed with tin and bismuth) and 5% silver and were to weigh slightly less than half the weight of English coins. The Bath metal planchets had to be hot when they were impressed between the dies to keep the dies from cracking. The heating of the planchets caused gas bubbles to form in the metal, as the planchets were struck while they were hot, these small bubbles did not have a chance to escape and therefore they produced a porous surface on the coins, often with some discoloration."

And it's my second time to find two skeleton keys in one day. I found them hours and hills apart.

We will see what tomorrow brings as I will be back at it.

Great token and love those keys. Congratulations