real or junk ring?

[Jason in Enid]

Today I went back to the old school hoping for some left over silver. Amongst the clad and the trash I found a ring. I pulled it from about 6 inches deep. When I broke the dirt, I saw the shine of silver and thought I had found a nice ring. Then I pushed the dirt plug from the center and got confused. I saw the unmistakable tarnish of copper. I figured it was just junk.

Back home, I scrubbed it off and began to wonder. The copper inside is a seperate piece. You can just make out that it is milled, as if to allow it a grip. Then it also has what appears to be a gold solder joint in the copper center, as if it was cut to fit, then soldered together. I still haven't made up my mind on the silver part. Part of me says it's too shiny to be silver. Oh, if you took out the copper piece, it would probably be a size 7 or 8 so this would have been an adult's ring.

No pictures right now. Has anyone ever run across anything like this before?

 

[coinnut]

Haven't seen anything like that. I'm guessing it was a home repair job to size the ring down. The gold is probably brass solder (brazing?) But copper on the inner part would not be my first choice. Some people are allergic to copper and it turns there finger green. It may have been plated gold before. Can you see any worn out parts on the silver piece??

 

[OkieDigger]

Need a pic. I have no idea until then.

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

I think you may have an old poorly silver plated ring. I have found a few that looked like silver, but the finish peels off almost like foil, revealing the copper base metal. I have found these in early 20th century sites.

 

[Nitro 54]

I agree with the copper silver plate.. If it's silver it should vdi at a dime or quarter.

 

[Dimeman]

It could have a ring sizer in the band to make it fit a smaller finger. If it is old it, could have been soldered from the copper piece onto the ring.