Expert: Neil S Berman - 2/27/2010

Question
Hi, i wondered if you can help me, i have a coin which is a tiny bit bigger than a penny, the colour of it is greeny black, but that is probably down to its age? it has two lions on one side holding a sheild which has lines down one side of it diagonnally and bare on the other side with a crown on top, and on the other has a O and a C with a big V going through both letters with the date 1793 on the bottom, could you b any chance tell me where this origantes from please??

Many thanks

Johanna

Answer
I would guess without seeing it, its a copper Dutch East Indies coin, made in the Netherlands for the Dutch East India Company, from when the Dutch ruled the sea, recovered from a salvaged wreck. More than a few years ago someone brought up a few million of these off the ocean floor.