Need Identification possible commemorative?

[NEMeanderer]

Trying to Id this for a while.. Would very much appreciate any and all input. Found in a farm field in RI were a lot of colonial era coins have been found. Gave a low signal about 5 inches deep. just smaller and thinner than a dime. Not sure of metal. Obviously not silver... Hopefully one of you can make out enough of letters for identification. Reverse side is what appears to be a Tudor Rose with lines radiating from center. Think could be a commemorative token,but of which ruler? Anyone recognize profile? Best pics my phone can get...Thank You All! View attachment 1817View attachment 1817613610[/ATTACH]View attachment 1817613View attachment 1817614View attachment 1817619 View attachment 1817619

 

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[ANTIQUARIAN]

My first thought was that it came from a watch chain, likely made of spelter or white metal.

"The Christian tradition took the rose as representative of the Virgin, and secular literature celebrated the rose as a symbol of earthly love and beauty, so it is little surprise that the canny queen Elizabeth I, fully aware of the rose’s associations with virginity took this flower as her emblem. In so doing she tied the strands of courtly love and holy virginity together in her own queenly identity. In medieval devotional verse, the Virgin Mary is often referred to as a “rose without thorns”, since she was free of original sin. In fact, the five petals of the wild rose are often equated with the five joys of Mary, which were the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Resurrection, the Ascension and the Assumption) and the five letters in her full name, Maria."

Dave

 

[DCMatt]

My first impression was "fake Roman coin". The way it is flaking on the reverse makes me think "bronze disease". Maybe from a charm bracelet?



Does it say HERCULES?

 

[NEMeanderer]

Thanks for your thoughts. I also had a roman impression of it. Not that it is, but the Tudor Rose on the back makes you think that its origin is of Great Britain like Antiquarian stated.
It was dug in a farm field where there was a lot of colonial activity and many 1600-1700s coins found. A friend thinks that the profile looks much like one of James ll. thought that the lettering could be IACOBUS for James, a Tudor @1684-88.
It looks like the hair is short and the head has a band or laurels on it.

 

[DCMatt]

Not a match but maybe a clue is this 1699 Prince James Jeton:

 

[NEMeanderer]

It IS close. They both have prominent foreheads. Sunburst is there too.
Will have to research the sunburst significance.
Thx again!
Closest thing so far.

 

[NEMeanderer]

So, with the help of Antiquarian and DC Matts posts and after more research, I believe that this token could possibly be one of many varieties cast in the late 1600s, after the Treaty of Ryswick which ended the 9 years war. One result of the treaty was that it insured that a Catholic could no longer become a Monarch.
King James ll of Great Britain also titled James Vll of Scotland (1685-1688) and his son Prince James were Catholics. James and his son fled to France and later Italy after being replaced by Mary ll
and William lll (Protestants).
Many of these tokens were spread thru the country in support of the ousted king/ son. The left facing profile is that of Prince James representing the continuation of is fathers and the Stuarts line.
Supporters of James, Known as Jacobites attempted numerous times in the new century to restore whom the felt was the rightful king, but without success. On the reverse side in the center is the
Tudor Rose representing Great Britain. The sunburst radiating from the rose is a variation of the phot in the last post. In that pic an eclipse is portrayed with the Latin phrase "Clarion E. Tenebris"
which translates to " From darkness into light" representing the optimistic expectations of the Jacobites to restore their rightful monarch.
I do believe that this token is a viable candidate given where it was found and the images on it. Thanks everyone. This has been informative and fun!

 

[Mackaydon]

Maybe CLARIOR E TENEBRIS like, but not exactly like, this:
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces80017.html
Don......

 

[NEMeanderer]

Thanks Mack. Yes. close, but only close lol. I had a friend take photos with a macro lens and try to enhance it with the software. I will try to post the enhanced photo in the next day or two.
After viewing the newer pics, I have to agree with DCMatt that it looks like the letters spell HERCULES. But, once again where is there a connection between Hercules and the Tudor Rose?
Could one of the Monarchs have been sarcastically referred to as Hercules by an opposition group and tokens or Jetons by cast by a local engraver for political reasons? just a thought...according to your quote, guess I have a piece of metal, but hoping to eventually have a piece of history.

 

[NEMeanderer]

Dont know if anyone can make out the lettering. Last try better photo, maybe?

 

[DCMatt]

I looked again and all I found was Mackaydon's example.

Here's my heartburn with this relic: The obverse (head) looks hammered - like it's really trying to look old. The reverse has a pretty crisp strike IMO. Good detail on the sunburst and the flower.

So... that brings me back to 'fake Roman coin' - Victorian Greek/Roman revival jewelry item. A charm from a Roman themed bracelet or something similar...



Plus, I still think it says HERCULES.