Currency Civil war soldier coin made for necklace (advice needed)

[AvengeSouthernConfederacy]

Hello everyone. During one of my coin club meetings I was given an 1864 Indian head cent that the man who gave it to me claimed it was worn by a civil war soldier on a necklace. I am unsure if it actually was used on a necklace during the war. I would appreciate articles and helpful comments for me to be able to identify its authenticity. I will include photos of the coin later on. Thank you.

 

[Joe Whitworth]

It wasn't unusual for for silver or gold coins to have one side filled flat and owner's info engraved at a jeweler's. Usually they were made into a necklace or pin and worn or even carried in a pocket as an ID. Any engraving on the coin?

 

[AvengeSouthernConfederacy]

It wasn't unusual for for silver or gold coins to have one side filled flat and owner's info engraved at a jeweler's. Usually they were made into a necklace or pin and worn or even carried in a pocket as an ID. Any engraving on the coin?

No engraving unfortunately but it does appear to have holes drilled in the center like it was put on a necklace. Also the edge rims appear hexagonial.

 

[Salterr]

No engraving unfortunately but it does appear to have holes drilled in the center like it was put on a necklace. Also the edge rims appear hexagonial.

Those modifications alone won't make it a civil war piece or makeshift ID tag. Remember too that the introduction of paper bills happened during the war to offset coin shortages and finance the war during insufficient gold and silver levels

 

[Joe Whitworth]

No engraving unfortunately but it does appear to have holes drilled in the center like it was put on a necklace. Also the edge rims appear hexagonial.

Sounds interesting, looking forward to seeing the pictures.

 

[Private Joseph]

In the North, anti-war Democrats known as 'copperheads' wore pennies on their lapels or on a string to identify themselves.

 

[AvengeSouthernConfederacy]

No engraving unfortunately but it does appear to have holes drilled in the center like it was put on a necklace. Also the edge rims appear hexagonial.

 

[AvengeSouthernConfederacy]

Anyone know if the coin is authentic? I am considering bringing it to a coin dealer some time this month to get it identified and appraised.

 

[R. Porter]

From what I found during a very brief look at the internet, 1864 is the year the mint shifted from a copper-nickel alloy to bronze for cents. There are three varieties: copper-nickel, bronze, and bronze with the letter "L" on a ribbon trailing from the back of the headdress. The values are least: bronze, next: copper-nickel, most: bronze with "L". The coin in this post is defaced and would have little or no value to a coin collector.

With respect to the coin in this post, the hole in the center is small and not circular making it less than ideal for wearing on a string. It looks more like it may have been used as a pommel on a home-made knife except that it doesn't appear as if it has had a tang peened or bent across it to hold a grip in place. In any case, it has been severely altered for some reason but I doubt jewelry or identification were it. Maybe a button? Maybe as ethnic decoration to clothing?

 

[AvengeSouthernConfederacy]

Not sure but I definitely appreciate you researching it. It appears altered for some unknown use. The man who gave it to me appeared to be in his 60s or older so he possibly got the origin mixed up, confused, or just wasn't sure if it was authentic. Definitely a coin I will display in my collection no matter the origin though.

 

[Joe Whitworth]

After seeing it my guess now the holes were used to sew this on as a replacement for a missing button. Not that uncommon a thing to do back then. Here's a Hard Times token dated 1841 punched thru for a button. This came an area that produced a few Southern relics. The poor Southern boys didn't leave an area littered with discarded stuff like the Yankees. It's been said you could walk thru a small Confederate campsite with a metal detector and never know it. It's true, my brother Steve and I did it few times until he found a "Georgetown College Cadet" button that got us hunting the area YMMV

 

[AvengeSouthernConfederacy]

Interesting theory indeed. It could have been a replacement button at one time but im not too sure.

 

[JOHN42768]

i would lean towards the button theory.