New pickup - Engraved coin

[FilthyBroke]

I would appreciate any info you could provide about this coin.  I think it's beyond identifying what the planchet was, there are a few markings left but not much to go by.   It's about 24.6 mm, and I don't have a scale to weigh it (as if that would matter much at this point).  The engraving looks contemporary to me, I wonder if Thomas Bell was the subject, or possibly the engraver?  That would be cool if he was.  

Anyway, here it is -

[walmann]

I don't believe it can be any US issue. The quarter would be that appox size, but it is either too big at 24.6 (versus 24.3) or too small as those issued prior to 1831 equaled or exceeded 27mm.

I believe the shillings being produced at that time were 24mm, as they had been standardized in size in 1816, perhaps it is an pre-1816 shilling or other denomination.

[FilthyBroke]

I have a Krause 17-1800 catalog, maybe I'll look around and see what I can come up with.  I wonder if there is a site with a comprehensive listing of coins like the Krause catalog?  It probably wouldn't really matter what the planchet was at this point I guess.... I was just curious.  It's silver, I can tell that much.

I just thought it was cool so I bought it, the artwork on it is unlike anything I've seen. 

[FilthyBroke]

Well, the church appears to be Hexham Abbey, which as I understand was constructed under the supervision of St. Wilfrid in 674 A.D. in northeast England.

As for Thomas Bell, I found a zoologist/surgeon/writer who dates to this era (1830) and location.  I'll dig further....

[coinsarefun]

I spoke to Greg(savoyspecial) ATS and his reply was:



i really like the pictorial love tokens such as that one! i cant really add anything
that FilthyBroke hasn't already uncovered

neat piece!
some search words that FilthyBroke might want to try are:

Thomas Bell Society

Thomas Bell Library

Thomas Bell, Esq.

Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne

these all seem to have ties to Abbey Hexham from a cursory search


Hopefully it will be of some help

[FilthyBroke]

Thanks Stefanie, I thought about asking him but hadn't gotten to it yet.  I searched through a couple of those listings, and found an interesting listing of auctions from Thomas Bell's estate sale.  I'll dig around and see what I can come up with after work.