Expert: Dmitry Livshits - 9/23/2011

Question
i have a georgivs III Dei Gratia 1790 coin but pretty sure its a token cause the initialling is N.C.R. ET. CO.DG.LT.REX.FD.B.I.R.M. 1970. I was just wondering if this is a token, and if it is would it still have been made in 1790?

Answer
Hi Nate,
I have both bad news and good news regarding this item.

The bad news is that it's an imitation of a solid gold guinea coin. The good news is that it actually does date to around the year that is on it.

What you have is a "spade", often used as an advertising piece or a game counter for card games.

They exist in many designs. Instead of gold, these are made from either brass or copper/bronze and gilded with a thin layer of gold. The ones with lettering like yours were made in Birmingham, England at the end of the 1700's.

They are actually fairly common items, since many millions of them were made through out the second half of the 1700's. They generally are worth just a few dollars for one with wear, but a mint condition coin of this type is still worth around $25 in a retail situation.

Thanks for the question! =)