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 Replies: 9 / Views: 2,846 |
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New Member
United States
3 Posts |
Hi all, this is my first post. I've scoured the internet looking for a photo and/or description of this coin that I have to no avail. Can anyone tell me what it is that I have. It says "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" on one side with an eagle, his wings spread out with a shield on his chest grasping 3 arrows in one claw and a branch in the other. There is a small "S" under him apparently for the San Francisco mint with the words "QUAR. DOL." under that. The banner over the eagle does (or did at one time) say "In God we trust" but it's been worn/scratched down. On the reverse side is the most curious part of all. It has 3 very large ornate letters which look to be a G, N, and an S intertwined bordered by tribal/aztec(?) motif. Any ideas. It doesn't have the dentil molding type edge that other quarters have (excuse my ignorance - I'm sure there's a proper name for it), but the back/reverse does look very similar to the 1873 quarter.  Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide. --Cheri P.S. I like MetalMan's avatar! ;o) Image:  Coin_sm.jpg75.26 KB Edited by HuntlyGordon
01/12/2008 5:00 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7123 Posts |
Hi Welcome to the forum ! The coin you have pictured is what is known as a love token . Someone has taken a Seated quarter somewhere between the dates of 1866 and 1891 when the reverse design contained the motto in the ribbon above the eagle and had it carved or carved it themselves as a means of endearment . although the numismatic integrity of the coin is lost ,,there is a collector base for such coins and they do sometimes sell for a significant premium ,, although not near that of the coin in its original state . Metalman |
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New Member
 United States
3 Posts |
Huh! We wondered why it was really thin! My father speculated that it was something like coal miner or land baron money or something. I may have that wrong - I have been diagnosed with epilepsy (one solitary seizure 2yrs ago), but the fall I had or the medicine seems to screw with me remembering something 5 seconds after someone tells me. ;o) Thanks for the answer. So I guess it would only be of sentimental valuable to someone with those initials.
Your avatar is too small to read. What clan do you hail from? I read your bio, but you didn't let on...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1984 Posts |
No, it's definitely worth more than sentimental value--lots of people collect them!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7123 Posts |
and again welcome to the forum !
while true that someone with the same initials may find it more appealing ,,there are those who collect them just because they like them .
Sorry to hear about the seizure ,, My memory has also suffered but from an entirely different reason .
Metalman
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New Member
United States
3 Posts |
It took me 2 days to find out what this coin was (i.e. to find you guys ;o) and just as I'm surfing and reading all about "love tokens" and having these mixed feelings - the romantic in me is warring with the purist in me - in walks my husband (and I'm all exited to show him what I've discovered) and he cuts me off plops out this:
Argh!! He found another one!!Image: NewCoin_sm.jpg69.75 KB
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7123 Posts |
Its not the same as yours ,,His is done on the reverse ,,and in fact is more desireable since the date is still on the coin .
Nice that you both have one though !
Metalman
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1106 Posts |
Here is one done on a British 3 pence coin.   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2589 Posts |
such wanton destruction of coins is disheartening
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
XoG,
you have to remember that these are period pieces and they were done when the coin was only worth face value. At least something artistic is created at the expense of the coin instead of just turning it into a piece of scrap metal.
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Replies: 9 / Views: 2,846 |
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Posted 01/12/2008 5:19 pm
