British Trade Dollar with engraving

[Henk]

I have a 1911 British Trade Dollar with the inscription on the obverse removed and engraved with:

* SOUVENIR DE CHINE * | LT A.FOUCHIER 1946 L. STANISLAS

Obviously a souvenir of two French soldiers serving in (indo) China at the end of WW II.

[brandm24]

That's an interesting keepsake, Henk. The two soldiers engraved on the coin may be identifiable.

 I'm always curious as to why these personal pieces get separated from their owners. They're usually very personal and you would think cherished by them or family members. It may be that after the original people engraved on the coin passed away the family either was forced to spend or sell it, or simply didn't care enough to keep it. It's a shame, but at times the way of family relationships.

 I have a US large cent stamped by a soldier who served during the civil war in a Vermont regiment. It was apparently his dog tag and  some how wound up in a New Hampshire coin dealer's inventory 150 years later. It could be that the family never knew of it or it was simply lost on the battlefield at Winchester, Virginia where he died in 1863. Another sad story, I'm afraid.

You're coin is expertly engraved and applied to a very impressive coin. It's a great piece to have.

Bruce

[Figleaf]

I may have found one of them here. If so, he was a free French airman.

Lieutenant André Fouchier was assigned on May 15, 1940 to the 5th squadron of the GC III / 3 in a Morane then in a  Dewoitine. He was at GC 2/7 "Nice" in 1943 where he obtained 2 victories in collaboration in his Spitfire, alongside the famous Gabriel Gauthier and Georges Valentin.

Peter