✅ SOLVED Can anyone ID this coin please?

lenmac65

Silver Member
Jul 28, 2009
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Massachusetts
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Garrett AT Pro, Equinox 800 (as of 10/2019)
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Metal Detecting
Anyone have any ideas what this “coin” might be, assuming it is a coin? It is about the size of a modern U.S. small cent. On one side I can make out what I think is an N and a clover. (The clover seems to be part of a crown. There is also a pellet just before the letter N.). On the other side, there is a circle with several letters inside it, including an L and S (and maybe an E before the S). Along the edge I think I see a D, C, O and an 8. I dug it at a former homesite where I previously found a 1/2 real from the late 1700s and several U.S. large cents from the early 1800s. I know this “coin” is trash, but my curiosity is getting to me. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks!
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Looked for a while with no luck. it's not possible to clean the 2nd picture side anymore? I can see lots of letters coming through.
 

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yes... but look up the process on the internet and do not be aggressive
 

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I think perhaps the clover is part of a fleur-de-lis, like on this Spanish coin.

View attachment 2167686

Thank you! I think you are correct about what I called a clover. I am thinking maybe it is on the top of a crown or shield, or maybe a cross like in your photo. I will expand my search to Spanish coins, as I was thinking French at first.
 

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Looked for a while with no luck. it's not possible to clean the 2nd picture side anymore? I can see lots of letters coming through.
Thank you! I am going to try to clean it a little more tonight after work. I was using Andre‘s pencils, but was afraid of lifting off the letters. My picture does not give much to go by, that’s for sure. I will try to post an updated photo.
 

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A very light touch with a fibre glass pencil will remove the dirt without damage to the coin.

Also a soak in some light oil, followed by a very light brush with a soft toothbrush while the oil is still present removes dirt gently and the oil is good for the metal. Pat dry with a lint free cloth and a rub with your thumb should bring the details up nicely, there are lots there.

Definitely European.
 

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Anyone have any ideas what this “coin” might be, assuming it is a coin? It is about the size of a modern U.S. small cent. On one side I can make out what I think is an N and a clover. On the other side, there is a circle with several letters inside it, including an L and S. Along the edge I think I see a C and an 8. I dug it at a former homesite where I previously found a 1/2 real from the late 1700s and several U.S. large cents from the early 1800s. I know this “coin” is trash, but my curiosity is getting to me. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks!
View attachment 2167677View attachment 2167678View attachment 2167679
It looks like a shilling.
 

Upvote 2
A very light touch with a fibre glass pencil will remove the dirt without damage to the coin.

Also a soak in some light oil, followed by a very light brush with a soft toothbrush while the oil is still present removes dirt gently and the oil is good for the metal. Pat dry with a lint free cloth and a rub with your thumb should bring the details up nicely, there are lots there.

Definitely European.
Thanks for the detailed cleaning tips. Unfortunately, I am fairly unskilled when it comes to cleaning and restoration. I will need to order fiberglass pencils. I am a little afraid to soak the coin in oil, as the dirt is the only thing giving the letters contrast. I just tried the Andre’s pencils again and revealed a couple more letters; however, it seems the pencils are depositing lead and obscuring other characters, so I am stopping for now. It seems the center word is L??ES. I now see a D at about one o’clock and maybe an OL at about eight o’clock. I wish I could safely reveal a little more detail. I agree with Europe and I have seen similar Dutch coins. Thanks again.
IMG_7690.jpeg
 

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Thanks for the detailed cleaning tips. Unfortunately, I am fairly unskilled when it comes to cleaning and restoration. I will need to order fiberglass pencils. I am a little afraid to soak the coin in oil, as the dirt is the only thing giving the letters contrast. I just tried the Andre’s pencils again and revealed a couple more letters; however, it seems the pencils are depositing lead and obscuring other characters, so I am stopping for now. It seems the center word is L??ES. I now see a D at about one o’clock and maybe an OL at about eight o’clock. I wish I could safely reveal a little more detail. I agree with Europe and I have seen similar Dutch coins. Thanks again.View attachment 2167808
It kind of reminds me of a trade farthing.
 

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It kind of reminds me of a trade farthing.
Thanks for the comment and link. I am not familiar with trade farthings, but I definitely see some style similarities. There must be hundreds of varieties of those coins. I was hoping this was a common coin someone could identify even with these minimal details. I am still hopeful. Thanks again, as that is an avenue worth exploring.
 

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Thanks for the comment and link. I am not familiar with trade farthings, but I definitely see some style similarities. There must be hundreds of varieties of those coins. I was hoping this was a common coin someone could identify even with these minimal details. I am still hopeful. Thanks again, as that is an avenue worth exploring.
Not sure if it would help, or if it was suggested previously, but perhaps doing a rubbing with pencil/crayon and paper could shed light on the lettering/details. Our soil is horrible on coppers, and I’ve ruined my fair share trying to Id what I had…..nothing this old (it appears) though.
 

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try to give us a better pic on the clover side, some better light or shading....
 

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Not sure if it would help, or if it was suggested previously, but perhaps doing a rubbing with pencil/crayon and paper could shed light on the lettering/details. Our soil is horrible on coppers, and I’ve ruined my fair share trying to Id what I had…..nothing this old (it appears) though.
That’s a great idea. I will give it a shot, though the relief on this coin probably won’t generate an image. Thanks for the idea.
 

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Saw this morning... and after just looking again.... i will say... this looks familiar to me for some reason.
But i got nothing.
I thought the same thing! The French colonies coins, some Dutch coins, and others look similar, so maybe that’s what is creating the familiarity. I wish I had a better image to share, as I know someone on this site could identify it.
 

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try to give us a better pic on the clover side, some better light or shading....
Here are a couple more pictures. The clover really does look like part of a crown. I also see a pellet and the letter N. I think that’s as good as it’s going to get. I also attached another picture of the front. Almost looks like 1632 or 1682 right around 12 o’clock; however, that might just be my imagination.
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