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Deliberate Vandalism On 1860-1880-S Greek 10 & 5 Lepta Coins

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Australia
8 Posts
 Posted 04/18/2026  9:32 pm Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add Jislizard to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
I came across a collection of Greek bronze 5 and 10 Lepta coins from 1969 - 1882. Amongst the coins were several which had been vandalised. A wedge has been cut out of them and four lines are scratched into the neck of King George I.

The wedges on the 10 Lepta all point to the neck, all the wedges on the 5 Leptas point to the top of the head. The scratches are crude and would have been easy to make, the wedges would have required some effort.

Any ideas as to why this has been done to the coins?


Deliberate-Vandalism-On-1860-1880-S-Greek-10-&-5-Lepta-Coins
Deliberate-Vandalism-On-1860-1880-S-Greek-10-&-5-Lepta-Coins
Deliberate-Vandalism-On-1860-1880-S-Greek-10-&-5-Lepta-Coins
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Sap's Avatar
Australia
16809 Posts
 Posted 04/19/2026  07:36 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Sap to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Just one could be dismissed as random damage. Having a dozen or so of each denomination, and with each denomination treated very specifically the same way, implies some rclear deliberate intent - the coins had to be notched at those specific points, and notching at some other point just wouldn't do.

I can't fathom why those notches in those specific locations are important. Just because there was deliberate intent, does not necessarily mean that intent is going to be rational, or decipherable. MY best guess is the notches might be for assembling the coins into some form of trenchart-style pieces of art - but this does not explain why they are all scored with a III in exactly the same places.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Sander's Avatar
Netherlands
560 Posts
 Posted 04/19/2026  08:01 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Sander to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
In the Netherlands you can find the same sort of deliberate damage to 2½ cent coins..
They could be used as "token" for example ½ m3 of gas at your home with a specific meter..
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United States
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