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Coin and Paper Money Collecting/Unidentified coin or jeton

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Expert: - 2/13/2010


Question

IMG_6098
I have a small copper-like coin/jeton 12mm diameter. It bears no date and no value. On the face is the head of Queen Victoria? with the inscription IM:OF 5 SOVGN:   L:CHR:LAUER (might be L:GHR:LAUER}

On the reverse is a depiction of a caped St George? mounted on a rearing horse and about to slay a recumbent dragon. This is under-scored with the word NÜRNBERG.

Do you have any idea how old? what it is? etc. It has been in my family for a long time but never was identified.

Many thanks

Dave

Answer
Hi Dave,
This is actually a piece of "spielmunze" or German play money. The Lauer company made these starting in the late 1800's and they still exist today as a metal fabrication firm. The piece is a model of a late 1880's British gold sovereign. Your piece is likely made of gilded bronze, or (if it's relatively light) gilded white metal. The Nuremberg legend appears on Lauer pieces up into the 1940's. It would really be difficult to tell where the exact date lies, but certainly between 1890 or so and 1940. The fact that I nearly always see these in excellent shape leads me to believe it is much closer to the later years of that range.
I just recently saw one of these on the UK eBay in the same condition. The sale price including shipping was equivalent to about $10.
Thanks for the question! =)

Dmitry Livshits

Expertise

My specialty is world coins from the 18th to 20th centuries, primarily non-US foreign coins and related areas such as errors and exonumia (tokens, medals, etc.). I can answer questions relating to identification, grading, selling, preservation and evaluation of such items. In addition to catalog value, I can give you the practical market value and trends for specific types of coins. I will also take questions regarding counterfeits (both modern and antique) and on how to identify them. I am NOT knowledgeable in paper money/banknotes, ancient or "shipwreck" coins. Thank you.

Experience

Collector of world coins since early childhood. Access to a variety of auction records and reference material. You can also find me on Facebook.

Education/Credentials
A.S. in Psychology (2006), B.A. in Forensic Psychology (2008), M.A. in Forensic Psychology (2011).

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