Coin Worn Smooth - No Idea What It Was... (Id: 1797 British Penny)

Hello Spence. Thank you for the kind welcome. It is actually measuring at 34mm. I have been sorting through some old coins (none very valuable unfortunately). I have had this one many years and it has always stumped me as to what it is. I have done some research on the Internet initially but have had no luck finding anything similar, hence the post!

Hi Spence, no offence taken. I was just explaining that I hadn't jumped onto the forum without doing some of my own research as I know from other forums that some people do. Unfortunately, as you can see, there are little identifying features left to go off apart from what you can see! I appreciate you taking the time to read my post.

to the Community!

Welcome to the Forum bluesntwos. You've come to a phenomenal place to share and learn.

Just for grins I went on Numista and typed in 34 mm diameter and copper. I think there were ~3K matches. It's in there someplace.

With the broad rim and 34mm diameter, it surely must be a British "cartwheel" penny of 1797. I believe I can make out the outline of Britannia on the reverse - the middle picture needs to be rotated about 20 degrees anticlockwise.

They were actually struck from 1797 to 1799, all bearing the "1797" date.

Apparently the cartwheel penny was meant to weigh its exact value in copper (one ounce) which equates to 28.34g. Mine weighs 25g. Hmmmm.

Thee coins were unpopular in circulation because they were so heavy - especially the twopence, which weighed exactly two avoirdupois ounces. But shopkeepers loved them, because they didn't have to buy as many one-ounce and two-ounce weights to use with their scales.

Less-than-honest shopkeepers liked heavily worn coins, of course, as they weighed less; the more worn, the better. Perhaps your coin was used by such a shopkeeper. Your coin also shows evidence of pitting and corrosion, so perhaps it was underground or underwater for some time, and subsequently cleaned.

Whatever the cause of the wear and corrosion, it is certain that a coin this badly worn and corroded would have lost considerable weight. So hearing the coin only weighs 25 grams instead of the regulation 28.35 grams does not surprise me or concern me.