Unknown coin or token from colonial and later site

[gwdigger]

I found this several years back. IP had me digging through my finds yesterday and I rediscovered many boxes of interesting "stuff".

Here's one item I have no idea about. The site produced items from 1770s to the 1850s.

Its a typical sad copper from our area. I thought it might be a French coin or token.

 

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[Iron Patch]

Sure looks early but doesn't strike me as French and I'm pretty familiar with french coins from the 1500s to early 1800s and I'd even recognize some pre 1500, but I'm totally blank on that bust.

That said, you should keep posting stuff out of those old goodie boxes. It doesn't matter to me (or probably anyone else) when it was found, it's great to see.

 

[Lucas]

It looks like a bust, but when you think about it, it's either modern art, or not a bust. At least not in the right orientation.

 

[Mackaydon]

Would it hurt to do a little cleaning--to provide a better chance to ID?

 

[Tuberale]

There's something about the bust that reminds me of an Egyptian pharoah.

 

[Lucas]

OK modern or ancient art.

Kinda reminds me of some of those Soviet portraits too. Huge jaw, tiny nose.

 

[Iron Patch]

Without the writing at the top I would have considered it being a really toasted Vermont Babyhead copper. On the same line of thinking there are crude counterfeits with a large bust like that, but without more detail you'd be hard pressed to make a match. Maybe one day you'll see a good example and it will click, but until then.... good luck!

 

[Mackaydon]

If the obverse is turned 90 degrees to the right, I see a different image.

 

[Iron Patch]

If the obverse is turned 90 degrees to the right, I see a different image.

I don't doubt that at all!

 

[gwdigger]

thanks all. i thought it might be an old french jeton but there really isnt much left of this thing. its also very fragile.

 

[Iron Patch]

thanks all. i thought it might be an old french jeton but there really isnt much left of this thing. its also very fragile.

Could be as there's a lot of odd jetons too. I don't know what it is, but bet it's very rare!

 

[CRUSADER]

You can rule out British

 

[lazooro]

very very hard one...i thought was SIT NOMEN..but no way..maybe north central Italy

 

[Tuberale]

Appears to have a squarish box-type hat (fez?) with a line of hair curls underneath. But the hardest thing to figure is the line from the jaw to the back of the head ... unless that was damage done while digging.