coin ID help, George V

[stu]

Hi, hope someone can help me ID this George V era coin, new at this and my internet search hasn't shed any light. There is no coin value or date, is it a token? Looks like mainly copper metal and is thin and lightweight. Thanks in advance..

[Rob]

It was a coin, but now is a piece of art. Someone has removed the reverse and engraved the design seen. It started out in life as either a penny, halfpenny or farthing. Approx. diameters would be 30, 25 or 20mm respectively

[stu]

thanks for the quick reply, in your experience is that something commonly done back then (or maybe done later)? Coin is thin so I guess they've ground it down somehow before engraving, why would they put the latin or french 'honi.......pense' into it as part of an art thing? Is this worth keeping, has it any value, I'm thinking not?

Edited May 14, 2016 by stu

[IanB]

Hi Stu,

it could be trench art or it could be something someone did for some other reason.

if it is trench art the Honi Suit....... Was possibly used because it forms part of several regiments emblems, Back in the day people were patriotic to their King as well as their regiment.

personally I would hang onto it as part of our history and not worry how much it is worth.

what is the diameter of the coin?

 

Ian

Edited May 14, 2016 by IanB

[Rob]

The reverse has attempted to replicate the Order of the Garter.

As in the image attached

Edited May 14, 2016 by Rob

[stu]

Here it is beside a 20p coin, its 25 or 26mm diameter.

[IanB]

9 hours ago, Rob said:

It was a coin, but now is a piece of art. Someone has removed the reverse and engraved the design seen. It started out in life as either a penny, halfpenny or farthing. Approx. diameters would be 30, 25 or 20mm respectively

So it looks like a halfpenny. I believe it was minted between 1911 - 1926 so would put it around the WW1 period. No idea though if the engraving is also of the same time. But it does look like a military emblem, http://www.iwm.org.uk/first-world-war-badges-and-portrait-photographs#&gid=2&pid=2

[Davethepitch]

I like it and if i were you i would keep it as i think a lot of work has gone into that.

 

Dave

[Fubar]

Looks very much like the Royal Engineers cap badge. I can just make out a GvR in the middle. That would make it trench art and probably WWI.

Can't understand why it's been obliterated. Maybe defaced by a grieving relative?

[Peckris]

1 hour ago, Fubar said:

Looks very much like the Royal Engineers cap badge. I can just make out a GvR in the middle. That would make it trench art and probably WWI.

Can't understand why it's been obliterated. Maybe defaced by a grieving relative?

Possibly it was something either rude, satirical or even vaguely insurgent? In which case, the soldier may have had second thoughts and removed the offending bits. But that's just one theory - the grieving relative is another just as good.