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Thread: Need help ID'ing Silver item with British hallmarks

  1. #1

    Need help ID'ing Silver item with British hallmarks

    Hey Diggers,
    I found this today at an old house. It rang up on my e-trac between a silver quarter and a silver half dollar. I was very excited when I got that signal! I recognized it as silver once I dug it up but I'm not sure what it is. I have some ideas: old pocket watch cover, pipe bowl lid, mustard pot lid, etc. It's pretty beat up and mangled. The outside was engraved with initials but they are mostly worn off. Inside it has two discernable hallmarks and some letters that look like U.S. (but that makes no sense because one hallmark is a British lion) I really appreciate any help I can get on this! Thanks, Dave.
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    Last edited by Full Metal Digger; 05-03-2015 at 06:57 PM.
    Oldest Coin: 100-60 BC Gallic bronze coin (Sequani Tribe)
    Oldest Silver Coin: 1156 hammered Pfennig from (now) Bavaria
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  2. #2
    Ok everyone, I just googled British hallmarks and it looks like the Lion and the crowned Leopard Head. The lion represents .925 and the crowned leopard head is the city mark for London (1478 to 1822). Have I got it right?
    Oldest Coin: 100-60 BC Gallic bronze coin (Sequani Tribe)
    Oldest Silver Coin: 1156 hammered Pfennig from (now) Bavaria
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1805 Draped Bust Large Cent
    Best Coins EVER: 1625 4 Sols from Kingdom of Chateau Renaud, France
    1662 15 Kreuzers, Leopold I, Austria
    Best Relics: Bronze Age Arrowheads & Spearhead, 2c Roman silver ring, complete medieval knight's spur (x6)
    YouTube Channel: Full Metal Digger

  3. #3
    Dave, I'd only be guessing, but if you don't have luck here I have found that on Facebook there is a group called "WTF IS THIS ?"
    I got help there before, some knowable people there, like here...
    *Missouri* E-trac Sunray X1* Oldest 1836 1/4 Real* Oldest Silver 1853 Half Dime * Nicest 1861 Seated Liberty* Gold Pocket Watch* 1904 Worlds Fair Ring*

  4. #4
    Administrator del's Avatar
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    Dave its definitely a British made import . the lion is the mark for sterling and the other is the "crowned leopard's head the symbol for the city of London.

    it could be a small pill box or even a personal snuff box lid
    "Honesty is an expensive gift ,
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  5. #5
    Elite Member Digger Don's Avatar
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    I have no idea what it is. What I do know is, That's a big Chunk of Silver. Nice Find.
    Good luck on getting the ID
    Oldest Coin: 1699 William III Halfpenny


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  6. #6
    Global Moderator Ill Digger's Avatar
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    Well you already found out what I did.
    So I'm not much help. But like Don said, Wow! Nice hunk of silver!
    I bet that was a screamer!
    Nice find!
    Congrats!!
    Some days you get the corn, some days you get the cob
    ​Oldest coin: ​70 B.C. "Harlow Flyer" gold qtr. Stater
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1814 Capped Bust Dime

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by denny2w View Post
    Dave, I'd only be guessing, but if you don't have luck here I have found that on Facebook there is a group called "WTF IS THIS ?"
    I got help there before, some knowable people there, like here...
    Thanks Denny, I will have to check that out!

    Quote Originally Posted by del View Post
    Dave its definitely a British made import . the lion is the mark for sterling and the other is the "crowned leopard's head the symbol for the city of London.

    it could be a small pill box or even a personal snuff box lid
    Thanks Del. I like your snuff box theory. It definitely had a hinge and latch so that's a strong possibility. I really like the fact that it can't be any newer than 1822! Certainly my oldest piece of silver.

    Quote Originally Posted by Digger Don View Post
    I have no idea what it is. What I do know is, That's a big Chunk of Silver. Nice Find.
    Good luck on getting the ID
    Thanks Don. 10.3 grams. About as much silver as in a Half Dollar.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ill Digger View Post
    Well you already found out what I did.
    So I'm not much help. But like Don said, Wow! Nice hunk of silver!
    I bet that was a screamer!
    Nice find!
    Congrats!!
    Hey Tim! Oh yeah, I thought for sure I was digging a Walker or Barber Half! BTW--Did you get my PM last week?
    Oldest Coin: 100-60 BC Gallic bronze coin (Sequani Tribe)
    Oldest Silver Coin: 1156 hammered Pfennig from (now) Bavaria
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1805 Draped Bust Large Cent
    Best Coins EVER: 1625 4 Sols from Kingdom of Chateau Renaud, France
    1662 15 Kreuzers, Leopold I, Austria
    Best Relics: Bronze Age Arrowheads & Spearhead, 2c Roman silver ring, complete medieval knight's spur (x6)
    YouTube Channel: Full Metal Digger

  8. #8
    Global Moderator Ill Digger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DaddyDigger View Post
    BTW--Did you get my PM last week?
    Yep sending you a PM
    Some days you get the corn, some days you get the cob
    ​Oldest coin: ​70 B.C. "Harlow Flyer" gold qtr. Stater
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1814 Capped Bust Dime

  9. #9
    Saw this in your other thread and it seems like you are going with what I was thinking. Yes it seems a bit deep to be a watch case, but to have the hinge like that and the hole in the top for where the winder would go makes me think it is a watch case. I am not big on the history of pocket watches. The early 1900 one I got is much thinner, but it's also 90-110 years newer than your case. One being made before industrial revolution and one after.

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