Expert: Dmitry Livshits - 1/24/2010

Question
I found an old coin in my yard awhile ago, and was hoping an expert could help identify it. It has the standard hibernia - image of a harp - 1805 on one side, On the reverse, though, it reads "field marshall washington" and has an image of the left side of his face. Seeing as I live near Fort Wellington, I assume it refers to the 1st Duke of Wellington. Would this assumption be correct, and is the coin some sort of commemorative token?

Answer
Hi Brendan,
This is indeed a commemorative token of the Duke of Wellington. Pieces such as this were made for merchant trade and the denomination is determined by the size relative to an English farthing, half-penny or penny.
Since you said it was found in your yard, I can only assume it is in rough shape and possibly even corroded from being in contact with moisture in the ground. Such examples only run $8 to $15. However a decent example can easily be $30 to $50.
These are normally crude, so weakness in the details is not a big deal. An exceptional example would sell for several hundred dollars.
If you wish to post a follow-up question with a picture of your coin, I can be a lot more specific about the value.
Thanks for the question! =)