Expert: Brad Swain - 12/5/2009

Question
QUESTION: This coin appears to be bronze or copper, slightly smaller than a quarter.  The obverse features a shield (only slightly rectangular, top is straight) with a rampant lion facing left.  Above the shield is a crown.  To the left of the shield are the letters C and L.  The C is large.  The L is much smaller (about half the height of the C). It is to the right of the C and the top is even with the top of the C.  To the right of the shield are the letters XV, the same size as the C.  The reverse may have been counterstamped.  It appears there were two words on the reverse.  Both words appear to start with the letters SKI, although I'm not positive about the top word.  It looks like it might have said skilling, but the center part of the coin is either worn or smudged out.  The lower word is longer (could be two words).  It ends in the letters NT. The date is below that word.  It appears to be 1633 or 1683 but not sure as it is very worn.  One the botton are what appears to be crossed hammers or some other tools.  As I said, it looks like it may have been counterstamped.

ANSWER: Hi Kevin, If you have pictures (not over 1 megabyte each please) you can email them to me at tbirde@psknet.com.
Brad

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Not a question, an answer.  I came across the coin in question while cataloging my collection recently.  The coin is an 1863 Norwegian 1/2 skilling.  Cat #324.  It's the second coin listed under Norway in the Centennial Edition of the Standard Catalog of World Coins.

Answer
Hi Kevin, There were 480,000 of these copper 1/2 Skilling coins minted that year in Kongsberg during the reign of Swedish King Carl XV Adolf. Collector value may be worth about $3 with heavy wear to around $30 with moderate wear to maybe $75 with light wear.
You might try Ebay.com for similar pieces for comparison.
Brad