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 Replies: 27 / Views: 3,850 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2734 Posts |
I do think that this coin is a piece of true history, not just some random act of vandalism. Posting theories about why I think that this coin was a U.S. soldier's pocket piece does require explanations of the history and context of the symbol carved on the coin. You have a good point, SuperDave, and I couldn't object toomuch if you moved this topic, but we are clearly discussing a specific 1923 Standing Liberty quarter in this thread. Thanks, DNA |
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
Nicely said, DNA, as usual. I agree with your theory, and considered your post to be quite on-topic for this specific coin. I wonder if it was originally notched to be inset into something?
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Rest in Peace
United States
2668 Posts |
It's graffiti.
Some people say graffiti is art.
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Rest in Peace
 United States
4849 Posts |
That is a neat theory DNA....and quite possibly too. Buy why oh why did they have to pick an XF/AU 1923-s as a canvas for their artwork? lol. I guess back then it wasn't viewed as a rarity.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2734 Posts |
Quote:
SuperDave: "I wonder if it was originally
notched to be inset into something?" Necklace, ring, clasp?  Machine gun turret?  Quote:
Parklane64: "It's graffiti" "Kilroy Was Here" (famous WWII graffiti slogan/picture) Quote:
johnny54321: "why oh why did they have to
pick an XF/AU 1923-s as a canvas for their artwork?" At the start of WWII (1942), the coin was only 19 years old (as were many of our newly enlisted soldiers!). It is entirely possible that the soldier found the coin in his pocket change! Only a BU 1923-S would have been a 'collector' coin at that time, and it probably would have cost about 50¢ to $1.00! The 'S' variety would suggest that the soldier lived in the western U.S., then again coins traveled a lot more distance then than they do now: Travelers didn't have credit cards until Diner's Club debuted in 1950, and coins were used to buy many things (such as food and drink in restaurants) that are now commonly bought with paper notes, due to decades of inflation... Lots of rare 'S' and 'D' Mint coins of all types were found in the famous New York Subway Hoard collected in the 1940's, including 241 1916-D Mercury dimes and nineteen 1916 Standing Liberty quarters!  (and New York is quite far from San Francisco and Denver!) If a current soldier in Afghanistan carved his initials and an anti-Taliban message onto a BU Northern Mariana Islands Quarter, someone 70+ years from now would probably be really upset!  Edited by DNA
04/25/2010 9:32 pm
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Valued Member
United States
54 Posts |
It was probably BU when he first started carving into it. Then after a few years of carrying around in his pocket it might have gotten worn down. I had an old Mercury dime book from the 1940s. Under each insert the original owner jotted down the value of each date and mint mark. Most of them were $.10 - $.20. I think that the 21, 21d and 16d were the only coins in the book marked over $1. I tossed it when I upgraded to a Dansco because the folder was in terrible shape. Now I wish that I would have kept it. Anyway, what I'm getting at is that back then those coins just weren't worth much. If someone were to do that to a BU '99 Delaware State Quarter today we might just roll our eyes and think "that was pointless". When someone tries to sell that quarter 80 - 90 years from now and it's worth $1000+ then people will think it was a complete travesty what was done to it. I know we're not supposed to speculate on the history of the coin but I tend to agree that it was done by a defiant US soldier who probably meant it as a good luck charm or big, final FU just in case he was killed in battle. It's a US coin so it's unlikely that a German soldier would have gotten his hands on it. By the time the neo-nazi movement started getting "popular" the coin would have likely been rare and valuable enough that it wouldn't have just fallen into the hands of some bored, stupid skinhead with a knife. That and no self respecting nazi or skinhead would engrave the swastika backwards. If I had some extra cash and I collected SLQs I'd make an offer. |
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Valued Member
United States
68 Posts |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
I know we're not supposed to speculate on the history of the coin Quite the contrary - that's precisely where I hoped this thread would go. Looks like it's done so rather nicely.  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
4849 Posts |
This thread might actually help the guy's sale now! I have to admit though, I think DNA may be right. That never occurred to me...I love this forum because I'm always learning something new. Thanks for the discussion. :-)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1934 Posts |
"WH" may be the initials of a namesake. "WH" is also the abbreviation for Wehrmacht.
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Valued Member
Australia
155 Posts |
The "reversed" swastika may be a luck symbol.It could be a gamblers lucky coin.
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Valued Member
United States
75 Posts |
i found a coin like this in my collection too... not with a swastika.. but instead on the back of a Flying Eagle cent someone ingraved a "U" where the "E" belongs in "Cent" .. to bad if that wasn't there a 1858 Flying Eagle cent in f12 or so condition.. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2734 Posts |
Quote:
"WH" is also the abbreviation for Wehrmacht. I don't speak German, but since 'Wehr' (defense) and 'Macht' ('power', making power, creating power) are both individual words in German, the more logical abbreviation would seem to be "WM".... But wait, the Wikipedia entry for Wehrmacht reveals something very interesting: "For branch-of-service identification, Wehrmacht vehicles bore alpha-
numeric identity license plates: WH for the Heer (land forces), WL for
the Luftwaffe (air forces), WM for the Kriegsmarine (naval forces)
..."Meaning that the U.S. soldiers' enemy (land forces) in the Wehrmacht had vehicles with "WH" license plates! PS: Both of my grandfathers fought in the European Theatre... (and both of them returned and lived to be old men!  ) My paternal grandmother was an Army nurse serving in Europe. Edited by DNA
04/28/2010 7:16 pm
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New Member
United States
35 Posts |
Wow who would do such a thing
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Pillar of the Community
United States
625 Posts |
I would speculate that the groves in the top and bottom were for the coin to be placed in some sort of holder for a necklace. Maybe the birth year of a young soldier during the war? The WH are his initials and the backward swastika for luck or defiance against the Germans. Boggles my mind to think of where this coin has been since it was minted.
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Replies: 27 / Views: 3,850 |
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Posted 04/25/2010 11:28 am
