A
Anonymous
Guest
<img src="http://www.findmall.com/photo/stevecan/irish1.jpg">
...I've had this a couple years now, with no real explaination. It is a seriously defaced Irish George IV Penny (1822-1823). Who ever did this used a chisel, lining it up 4 times with the center to X out the Irish harp symbol and then gave it one for good luck (the chisel left a very distinctive "feather" impression each time it was struck).
On the other side, they were careful not to mark the King's image, giving it 4 swats along the edges with a punch. Who ever defaced the coin meant business as each of the strokes are deliberate and go halfway through the thick coin.
Other than someone playing with a chisel on a rainy afternoon, the only explaination I have heard is that this is the attempt of some individual who hated the Irish (not uncommon in the 1800's) to take this coin out of circulation. I have heard that Colonel Talbot of the Talbot Settlement on the shores of Lake Erie was known to do this, but have never been able to substantiate this claim.
Below, the coin as minted:
...I've had this a couple years now, with no real explaination. It is a seriously defaced Irish George IV Penny (1822-1823). Who ever did this used a chisel, lining it up 4 times with the center to X out the Irish harp symbol and then gave it one for good luck (the chisel left a very distinctive "feather" impression each time it was struck).
On the other side, they were careful not to mark the King's image, giving it 4 swats along the edges with a punch. Who ever defaced the coin meant business as each of the strokes are deliberate and go halfway through the thick coin.
Other than someone playing with a chisel on a rainy afternoon, the only explaination I have heard is that this is the attempt of some individual who hated the Irish (not uncommon in the 1800's) to take this coin out of circulation. I have heard that Colonel Talbot of the Talbot Settlement on the shores of Lake Erie was known to do this, but have never been able to substantiate this claim.
Below, the coin as minted: