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 Replies: 17 / Views: 3,067 |
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New Member
Germany
4 Posts |
Hello, I am from Germany and I do collect coins since a lot of years. I have to acuse me, that my english isn't very perfect... I've got an Penny from 1887, at which you can see a lot of handmade changes: She is wearing a plaited hat with a chin band. It seems, that she is wearing something like an uniform with a schoulder strap. And, maybe also very important, she is wearing a beard! And what does the empezzled "4" at her breast mean? For a comparison you can see a normal coin of that type at the right side. Does anybody has an idea of the meaning and of the authorship of that coin? Thank you very much, yours Alex21  Edited by Alex21
07/02/2021 09:28 am
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
That's quite wonderful, danke for sharing!  to the CCF! |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2843 Posts |
Excellent. It is similar to what we call here a Hobo-Nickel. But your coin is way cooler.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4421 Posts |
to the CCF, Alex. I'd first note that this topic may be moved to another category, since the subject piece is not a U.S. classic coin. You have what we, here in the USA, call a "love token." This engraving of coins was quite popular in the late 1800's. The engraved coins were often used to create jewelry and/or gifted to a friend or family member. Whoever engraved the bonnet or hat on this coin had some talent, and that enhances the value of the piece. Perhaps, the beard, moustache, was added by an a person other than the original engraver? It may be a mocking political statement, made by someone who resented women in power? To me, the engraving portrays a woman who would be a man. During that late Victorian era, women were seeking social and political equality with men. Just a thought. The Brits excel when it comes to satire, political or otherwise!  The "4" was stamped into the coin. Its meaning will likely never be known. Might this engraver have produced a series of coin sketches, with this one being #4?  The value of pieces like this depends upon the history they transmit. On the plus side, this piece seems to send a polical message. Might it have been created by a British soldier, serving abroad in Her Majesty's service? Many a man might resent the rule of a woman. IF the engraver was a soldier, this so-called "love token" takes on added meaning as "trench art." Silver and gold "love tokens" tend to be more popular and costly than copper pieces. The value of them largely rests with what the buyer perceives. |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
945 Posts |
These are great fun and there are many different designs. Mostly they are political or satirical in their intent, although some are just mementoes. I suspect the OP is intended to lampoon Lord Kitchener or Gordon of Khartoum, as well as Victoria. Here is one I picked up only a couple of months ago, which I think is aimed at Edward VII:  Edited by PaddyB
07/02/2021 11:21 am
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
945 Posts |
... and here is a rather cruder one that I don't own:  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4421 Posts |
Quote:
.. and here is a rather cruder one that I don't own:
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
725 Posts |
Re-engraving coins like this became popular after Napoleon III's disastrous battle at Sedan in 1870. So many were re-engraved they even minted tokens with the altered images on them. Both after Sedan and after WW1, they were mostly made for tourists. Napoleon III Ten Centimes, 1857 Napoleon was given a Prussian helmet and the imperial eagle was transformed into an owl. (My coin, not my photo). It seems yours is meant to be a soldier. The hat even looks somewhat French. See coin '10' on this link (click it to enlarge it), which has a different style of hat, I would say more British, but the same 4 on the chest: https://www.money.org/money-museum/...i/trench-artThe 4 might relate to the British 4th Army, who led the Battle of the Somme (unless the soldier is French!). I imagine that since this was a famous battle and the design is not unique, they were produced for tourists by the soldiers. Edited by JohnConduitt
07/02/2021 4:01 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Heads of State are the ultimate commanders of the Armed Forces of their countries.
I have no doubt that Presidents of the U.S.A. have also been depicted in parody on coins in this way.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4421 Posts |
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I have no doubt that Presidents of the U.S.A. have also been depicted in parody on coins in this way. This comment causes me to reflect on a Jackson Hard Times token, HT-6, Low 4. The general, then President in 1832, appears clad in a toga and is portrayed as a Roman emperor ....   |
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Moderator
United States
189767 Posts |
to the Community! |
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New Member
 Germany
4 Posts |
Hello, thank you very much for all your answers! It's very intersting! But even now I'm not very smart about the fact, in which way that mocking coin was a political statement... Is the reason for well, that women wanted to participate in political power of men? Intesresting is also, that, if I took a look to wikipedia with the keword Hobo Nickel, I have found the following page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobo_nickelAnd if you scroll down a bit there, you find a very similar coin to my one. Many greeting from Berlin and a happy Sunday, yours, Alex21 |
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Pillar of the Community
4628 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1616 Posts |
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... and here is a rather cruder one that I don't own:
On closer inspection.... Is she taking a dump? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4421 Posts |
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On closer inspection.... Is she taking a dump?
I doubt that's a casserole dish below her .... |
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Replies: 17 / Views: 3,067 |
Posted 07/02/2021 09:42 am
