Carved onto a coin G M Co . Tool Check?

jnkhntr

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Feb 6, 2009
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Central Florida
Carved onto a coin G M Co / 2000. This appears to be a 37mm coin of some type that has been smoothed out then carved with the details in the pictures. Any thoughts on what this was about? The partial date appears to be 18_ _.
 

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Just a hunch, but your token/tag has two monograms, the large "M.M.," and the smaller "G. M. Co.". An American company going by both initials was General Mills Company, which was formed out of the Minneapolis Milling company. I think you are on to something believing it is a tool or key tag. I see the the date too! Good luck, Sub
 

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Very neat find! :thumbsup: How much does it weigh?

Hi Breezie - there actually are coins that would come in the 37mm size. This one I thought also looks somewhat like the font of the date... but it is really difficult to make a call on this with so few details -

Brazil 20 Reis (countermarked on a 40 reis) 1823 - 1831 Copper 14.34g 37mm

20 Ris - Pedro I (Countermarked 40 Ris) - Brazil - Numista


I've been interested in the circulation of these big Brazilian coppers into North America - they actually seem to be found here every so often so it might not be such a stretch for it to be a host coin for this piece. But I don't know...
 

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Very neat find! :thumbsup: How much does it weigh?

Hi Breezie - there actually are coins that would come in the 37mm size. This one I thought also looks somewhat like the font of the date... but it is really difficult to make a call on this with so few details -

Brazil 20 Reis (countermarked on a 40 reis) 1823 - 1831 Copper 14.34g 37mm

20 Ris - Pedro I (Countermarked 40 Ris) - Brazil - Numista


I've been interested in the circulation of these big Brazilian coppers into North America - they actually seem to be found here every so often so it might not be such a stretch for it to be a host coin for this piece. But I don't know...


Neat find Bramble! I didn't see that one listed on the page I posted. The date does look similar. How about the ridges around the edge? How do you think the monogram and 2000 were added since they are raised?

:) Breezie
 

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To me the monogram and 2000 look stamped into the coin? Possibly when they stamped it the die they used also had the ridges?

I really don't know if this is the host coin for this piece but I wanted to put it out there since there are some similarities which I thought were interesting at least.
 

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To me the monogram and 2000 look stamped into the coin? Possibly when they stamped it the die they used also had the ridges?

I really don't know if this is the host coin for this piece but I wanted to put it out there since there are some similarities which I thought were interesting at least.

Well, that shows you how bad my eyes are! :laughing7: I thought both were raised. I could have sworn the base of the 2 had a shadow under it. The OP said, 'carved' into the coin, so I guess it's an inie instead of an outie. Breezie
 

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I guess it's an inie instead of an outie. Breezie
Thanks all for the info. This is definately an "INIE". The coin was voided of nearly all detail and then counter stamped or more likely cut into the plank. The scan makes it appear to be raised. I think since the year 2000 is such a recent date we assume it is a date. I believe the number does not represent a date.
Weight 17.8 grams
 

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Are we certain that this isn't a tag that is certifying weight of a commodity?

2000 is the number of pounds to make a ton.

While I am probably completely wrong about this tag/coin, from what I've read from old farm and old construction books (all printed in the 1800's), verifying weight and quantity in those days was difficult.

One book that I owned had chapters entitled "How to figure the number of bushels in a wagon" (with subsections on corn, oats, apples, etc.), "how to figure the board feet in a wagon load of lumber", "Estimating the amount of timber/board feet in a pile of logs", and "How to estimate the weight of cotton (unbaled)". This book was written to help educate a casual buyer or a farmer.

I've read quite a few books from this era, and this tells me that back in the day, verifying weight and quantity (as well as quality) was a big issue.
 

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3M came to mind (originally Minneaota Mining and Manufacturing Co), founded in 1902. I don't think the "G" would have been necessary though, so probably not.
It seems as though the diameter could have been expanded a touch if they re-struck these with this logo.
 

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Minnesota Milling / General Mills

2000 maybe a tag certifying 2000lbs or one ton of Wheat, Grain, or flour seems plausible.

Thanks again to all. I can't say SOLVED yet but very interesting clues.
 

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So weird, I found something similar last weekend, But it was to corroded to see if there was any markings on it.Weird.JPG
 

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One theory that might support the idea that this might be a tag verifying weight is that the '2000' might mean '2000 pounds', and the counter stamp of '18--' might be for actual weight after some of the product has been removed.

It also could note that the weight did not make a total 2000 pounds.
 

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