Unusual Hammered SILVER coin, My First! ... ID help, please.

[goldnow]

I am in Italy now, and after a week of learning my new Tesoro Vaquero, (still not there yet), and finding handful of whatsits, a few copper 19th century coins, a MARTINI VERMOUTH sign, and a good pocket knife, I finally got what I was looking for; an ancient coin. MY FIRST!!!! Stoked is not the word. Can Crusader remember that far back to his first of gazillions?

It was one inch deep or less, and no more than three feet from the front of my house, under a rock.
I didn't want to hunt here as wifey would have some gnarly words about her lawn and garden getting messed up with my hobby. But, I was given a baby sitting job to watch the neighbor's dog for a few days, so as not to lose her (the dog, not the wife) in the woods, I detected around the house for practice.

I have no idea what era or origin it has. Roman? Medieval. It is thin and 7/8" longest..Any help on IDing it would be greatly appreciated. I'm not even sure the term "hammered" applies, but that's what it looks like. It has some mythological looking animals, and an eagle on one side, and what looks like a woman standing with outreached arm on the other side, some letters around both side's edges.

First two pics are right out of the ground after a water rinse, the next three pics are after a few minute's cleaning.

 

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[IronSpike]

Nice hammered silver Congrats on a great find

Not sure what it is, however reckon it will be ID

 

[CRUSADER]

Its European, Not British, maybe Dutch, I pretty sure it will be about 1750s or just before. It is silver but not hammered, most likely milled. (although it does seem double striked, so a bit puzzelling).

I will watch for a full ID, this is all best guess.

 

[goldnow]

"Its European, Not British, maybe Dutch, I pretty sure it will be about 1750s or just before. It is silver but not hammered, most likely milled. (although it does seem double striked, so a bit puzzelling).

I will watch for a full ID, this is all best guess."

Ciao Cru,..Thanks for your opinion, and Good Eye on the double strike. Forgot to mention that in my original description. Now what's the difference between Hammered and Milled? I'm new to all this European coinage, so bear with me here.

Dutch would be a surprise around here, considering we are in the rural Alps, though this area has plenty history of early German immigration around 1750 and earlier.

Also I discovered today what a hot rock is today, and their cost in time in digging for nothing.

 

[CRUSADER]

"Its European, Not British, maybe Dutch, I pretty sure it will be about 1750s or just before. It is silver but not hammered, most likely milled. (although it does seem double striked, so a bit puzzelling).

I will watch for a full ID, this is all best guess."

Ciao Cru,..Thanks for your opinion, and Good Eye on the double strike. Forgot to mention that in my original description. Now what's the difference between Hammered and Milled? I'm new to all this European coinage, so bear with me here.

Dutch would be a surprise around here, considering we are in the rural Alps, though this area has plenty history of early German immigration around 1750 and earlier.

Also I discovered today what a hot rock is today, and their cost in time in digging for nothing.

German/Austro-Hungarian Empire was my second guess. Now you say this, it makes it more likely, specially as it has a seated britannia on the Reverse (first picture)

 

[goldnow]

Okay, I'll bite. Why does a German/Austro-Hungarian coin have a seated britannia on it?

 

[CRUSADER]

Okay, I'll bite. Why does a German/Austro-Hungarian coin have a seated britannia on it?

The British Monachs are from Hanover, Germany. So its a guess, as it would need to be a coin with close links to the British (as its mostly British coins that have a seated Britannia on it, & I know its not British). Its my logic & maybe completely wrong.

 

[goldnow]

Fair enough...Two animals I have kind of figure out..The upper left is an eagle, with what I think is a fish in his claws..And the lower right looks like a griffin/dragon with wings.. The upper right one has me baffled, as when I turn my head I get a ram one way, and when I turn my head the other way I get a mythical creature.

Most eagles I have seen from this area all look like they just got their willy stuck in a light socket. This one seems more lucky.

 

[Mackaydon]

Here's the image of your shield on the reverse of an Italian States (Milan) scudo of Filippo II di Spagna, 1556-1598.

http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=688603&AucID=501&Lot=1991

The shield represents the Arms of Milan.
The legend probably reads: MEDIOL ANI DVX (Duke of Milan)

Don....

 

[IronSpike]

Here's the image of your reverse shield on an Italian States (Milan) scudo of Filippo II di Spagna, 1556-1598.

http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=688603&AucID=501&Lot=1991

The shield represents the Arms of Milan.
The legend probably reads: MEDIOL ANI DVX (Duke of Milan)

Don....

The shield is spot on It was based on the Visconti insignia.

 

[goldnow]

I can live with a circa 1500 coin as my first major find.

Thanks, Mackaydon, for your helpful link. I think my wish-list just went over to the next page after perusing the possible finds I can come across here.

Can I ask the dirty?--Does it have any value?
(Wifey needs some confidence the 500 euros for the Tesoro and extras was a good idea.)

 

[Mackaydon]

We've only (possibly) ID-ed the reverse image, not the obverse or the year or the coin itself.
Need more research before value can be determined.

 

[shaun7]

It's a nice old coin whatever it turns out to be

A great feeling to find something that old!!

 

[goldnow]

Thanks Shaun.. I watch your posts, and I want you to know that there's an MDer in Italy rooting for you to ace-out Crusader one day.

 

[goldnow]

I know, Macaydon.. Wifey is over my shoulder all of a sudden, thinking her ancestral land is holding hoards of gold. Yesterday, I was getting dirty looks when I grabbed my machine, Now she wants to know when I'm going next. She even windexed the coil.

 

[shaun7]

Thanks Shaun.. I watch your posts, and I want you to know that there's an MDer in Italy rooting for you to ace-out Crusader one day.

Sadly i don't think that will ever happen

Appart from knowing exactly how to use his detector, he is one lucky f**k*r

Thanks for rooting for me though

 

[goldnow]

"Sadly i don't think that will ever happen.

Appart from knowing exactly how to use his detector, he is one lucky f**k*r.

Thanks for rooting for me though."


I hate winners.

 

[CRUSADER]

Thanks Shaun.. I watch your posts, and I want you to know that there's an MDer in Italy rooting for you to ace-out Crusader one day.

Sadly i don't think that will ever happen

Appart from knowing exactly how to use his detector, he is one lucky f**k*r

Thanks for rooting for me though

It will happen when you least expect it.

I still have a long way to understand the XP but I'm getting there. Yes I definately feel lucky


As for the coin, I don't think its as old as 1500s, might be late 1600s at a push. I may get egg on my face, but I never shy from guessing based on similar finds.

Value will be very little ($5 I would think), unless it turns out to be the only one. We don't value the coins like the US do. But I've always made the point, that money is irrevant.

 

[allen]

that is a really cool find !!

 

[silvercop]

nice coin..whatever it is