Brass Mystery Disc With Symbols

Valley Ranger

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Mar 24, 2011
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Shenandoah Valley
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**UPDATE - SOLVED - TRADE WEIGHT!" Brass Mystery Disc With Symbols

UPDATE - Thanks to Creskol, I know what this is: "This is a bronze weight of the reign of George III, or possibly the earlier part of the reign of George IV. Note the relative positions of the marks - the 'dagger', the fancy A, the ewer, and the royal cypher."

Here's another one identical to mine: http://home.clara.net/brianp/pics/preston.jpg

The "A" is for "avoirdupois". According to Encyclopedia Britannica:

"avoirdupois weight, traditional system of weight in the British Imperial System and the United States Customary System of weights and measures. The name derives ultimately from French avoir de pois (“goods of weight” or “property”). The avoirdupois pound contains 7,000 grains, or 256 drams of 27.344 grains each, or 16 ounces of 437 1/2 grains each. It is used for all products not subject to apothecaries’ weight (for pharmaceutical items) or troy weight (for precious metals). It is equal to about 1.22 apothecaries’ or troy pounds. Since 1959 the avoirdupois pound has been officially defined in most English-speaking countries as 0.45359237 kg."

COOL!!!!!!! Creskol needs to write a book. That fella is a walking, talking encyclopedia! Thanks again Rob!!

END OF UPDATE

This really has me stumped. As you can see, it's about 2" in diameter and about 7/16" thick. Appears to be solid brass. Slightly tapered as if it might be a lead to something. The letter on the left appears to be the Greek alphabet letter "A". The symbol in the top center appears to be a sword or dagger and the symbol on the right may be a cross of some type, but also looks like a "G" . . . not sure. I can't make out the symbol at the bottom. I found this earlier this summer on a farm here in the Shenandoah Valley that dates to the 1740's and it has been laying in my junk/whatzit pile. I didn't notice the symbols on it until I decided to wash it off today. Any help would be appreciated. I'm quite curious about it due to the symbols. Thanks for takin' a look!
 

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Upvote 3
TEST
 

...and a very nice one!I have found similar examples myself
 

...and a very nice one!I have found similar examples myself

I know nothing about them. Would I be correct in assuming it dates to the mid 1700's, since it's a "King George, III"? How were they used?
 

IMAG0085-1.jpgIMAG0083-1.jpgIMAG0086-1.jpg I FOUND THIS ONE A YEAR OR SO AGO! WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT. MINE HAS ALL THE SYMBOLS YOURS DOES, JUST A DIFFERENT CROWN, AND SOMEONE BEAT ON IT AT SOME POINT.
 

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Nice one... the same one a few years ago only a little smaller...
 

Stonewall, I think that this was a way to ensure fairness in trade in the colonial times. These would have been used with a "balance" which is different from a "scale." Mine weighs two ounces AV. Yours probably weighs another common weight. They were used to trade everything. I have found them at 2 different house sites in town here. The two I have seen dug here have been stamped "NC" along with the other "hallmarks" and I assume this was the duty mark for North Carolina. People would have used them for trading anything from grain to horse tacks, for silver, or goods. I have no research to back that, it is just my gut feeling.
 

Stonewall, I think that this was a way to ensure fairness in trade in the colonial times. These would have been used with a "balance" which is different from a "scale." Mine weighs two ounces AV. Yours probably weighs another common weight. They were used to trade everything. I have found them at 2 different house sites in town here. The two I have seen dug here have been stamped "NC" along with the other "hallmarks" and I assume this was the duty mark for North Carolina. People would have used them for trading anything from grain to horse tacks, for silver, or goods. I have no research to back that, it is just my gut feeling.

That's what I've been able to gather reading on the internet so far. I assume they were used primarily during colonial times then, right?
 

I can't say for sure, but both of mine have been found at sites that consistently produce flat buttons(circa<1850). So, I would say that the latest they would have been used would be somewhere in the mid 1860s. Just an estimate!
 

I can't say for sure, but both of mine have been found at sites that consistently produce flat buttons(circa<1850). So, I would say that the latest they would have been used would be somewhere in the mid 1860s. Just an estimate!

Great, thanks!
 

Awesome, right off the scale!:laughing7:

Congratulations, Rick, that's a great find. That certainly harkens back to a different time; that's largely what it's all about for me personally.
 

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