Civil war poker chip?

[writer662]

Dug today in cw traffic area. Definitely lead.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[The_Piratess]

Is there some detail on this that makes you think this is a poker chip that we can't see maybe because of the flash on your camera? Or did you perhaps find some old playing cards near this specifically Aces & 8's?

 

[d2]

I've found flattened mini balls in camps too like yours. I don't know why they would of took the trouble to flatten them out when they could of just used the bullets. I don't know if they were used as chips or something else...d2

 

[creskol]

I've found flattened mini balls in camps too like yours. I don't know why they would of took the trouble to flatten them out when they could of just used the bullets. I don't know if they were used as chips or something else...d2

I have heard them id'ed as both checkers and poker chips..I think it is safe to classify them generically as game pieces.

 

[relic nut]

I have found several of similar " chips ". Found three in the same area of a CW site. Two came from the same hole. I agree that they are either poker chips or checkers.
Camp life was very boring, and solder's would get pretty creative.
Nice find! Look hard there may be more.

HH, RN

 

[Davers]

Nice!
I agree , likely a game piece, but you never know

 

[d2]

Checkers make sense but like relic nut said boredom goes a long way in producing carved items in camps and they may very well be poker chips. Of the silver coins I found on the battle field one of the quarters had an asterisk scratched into it and I have always wondered why. Simple thing cause me consternation...d2

 

[Breezie]

Creskol is correct; it is a gaming chip, which could have been used for poker, checkers, chess, or any gambling game. The one I've posted was made from a 3-Ring mini, and the rings can still be slightly seen.

Neat find
Breezie

 

[writer662]

Here are a few more pics

 

[writer662]

 

[Underwonder]

Thanks for sharing. I recently found this lead piece and was hoping for a coin... then just added it to my lead collection. i thought it odd...then shrugged it off as a fluke.

 

[Spats]

When I find one that doesn't have definite minie ball characteristics (like Breezie's does), I weigh it and if it weighs in the right range, I give it the "benefit of the doubt". I have found a couple made of Colt pistol bullets. Once, after a poor day's hunt in a spot that had always produced relics, I only had five pieces of flat lead that were rolled into tubes. I found them all in a small area. I almost put them in the junk lead jug, but weighed one on a hunch. It was in the range so I carefully unrolled it with pliers and cloth the minimize the damage. It was a minie with three rings visible. I unrolled all five and all were the same. A bad day got better! I love the flattened bullets because they are soldier art in my mind.

 

[Underwonder]

Thanks for sharing your story, Spats. Do you use a kitchen scale? What should the range be? I ended up scrubbing my disc with a steel wool scrubbie to get to the bottom of it so I am sure I messed it up [emoji19].

 

[Davers]

Checkers make sense but like relic nut said boredom goes a long way in producing carved items in camps and they may very well be poker chips. Of the silver coins I found on the battle field one of the quarters had an asterisk scratched into it and I have always wondered why. Simple thing cause me consternation...d2

That's funny .

I was just having a conversation at our local annual Civil War show yesterday , & the guy I was speaking with brought up the fact the he was Conversing about the subject of 'X' silver Coins dug at camps , & I stated that one of the Few Silver coins I dug at a Camp was an 1829 Capped Dime "X" on both sides.

Guessing the 'X' meant ..Black or red or Ace, Heart, Diamond or Clover , maybe the "asterisk " on yr Quarter may be a 'quick' mark for one of the Card symbols

 

[Davers]

Thanks for sharing your story, Spats. Do you use a kitchen scale? What should the range be? I ended up scrubbing my disc with a steel wool scrubbie to get to the bottom of it so I am sure I messed it up [emoji19].

We live & we learn.
GL in the future.

 

[Spats]

Thanks for sharing your story, Spats. Do you use a kitchen scale? What should the range be? I ended up scrubbing my disc with a steel wool scrubbie to get to the bottom of it so I am sure I messed it up [emoji19].

I use a gram scale. Anything from 24 grams to 55 grams should fit in the bullet or musket ball range. Pistol bullets can weigh much less. But anything much over 55 grams which is approximately 850 grains and almost 2 ounces is too big to be a Civil War bullet.

 

[A2coins]

not many people could raise you on that pot sweei

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using TreasureNet.com mobile app

 

[Underwonder]

I used a free online scale at touchscale dot co and it came out 21-23 grams...not sure how accurate that was though!