Cooper, engraved coin or planchet

Started by Henk, December 31, 2022, 03:40:52 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Henk

Specifications are:
Copper, 27 mm and 5,51 g
O: engraved with picture of a man (cooper) with a tool in hand, standing next to a barrel
R: Wm Dennis / Cooper / 1777 (script)

Neatly made piece, especially the text on the reverse. Personal token for William Dennis with the profession of cooper or for Willian Dennis Cooper (surname cooper) and dated 1777.

A bit worn and slight dent at the edge but still a nice token/medal

Cooper.jpg

brandm24

I think it's for a man named William Dennis who works as a cooper. The gap between the first line of text and the word Cooper is significant and the barrel image tells "the rest of the story."

A nice token...probably a personal piece...that's nicely engraved. Not sure if it's on a smoothed coin or a copper planchet. My vote's for a blank planchet though.

Bruce
Always Faithful

Figleaf

I have some doubts about William being a cooper, rather than Cooper. I combed the net for cooper's instruments without finding the tool Bill is holding and the thing to his left doesn't particularly look like a barrel, especially on the side. It reminds me of a wool bale, but the tool is not a wool comb, the traditional attribute of a wool man.

Confused,

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

brandm24

I have a lot of experience with barrels of beer and the image really looks familiar to me...just sayin' ;D

I'm going to sharpen up the images and see if I can get them clearer.

Bruce
Always Faithful

brandm24

I cleared up and darkened the images somewhat but they're still a bit difficult to decipher.

The tool the man is holding looks similar to a cooper's axe or adze, albeit with a longer handle. I still think the object to his left is a barrel. I believe the word cooper is the man's trade and not his surname as I first thought.

Bruce
Always Faithful

brandm24

Oops, forgot the pictures!

BruceCooper (1).jpgCooper (2).jpgrsz_cooper_axe.jpg   
Always Faithful

Henk

The same tool, together with a a pair of compasses and some other tool is shown on this medal of the Kuipers Gilde (Coopers guild) from the city of Appingedam (Netherlands). Picture copied from: http://www.numismaticagroningana.nl/?content%2F03munten%2Fpenningen%2F06gilde%2F300gildepenning.jpg

Could the engraved coin/planchet possibly be a guild medal? Guild medals were extensively used in the Netherlands. I do not know of these being used in the UK.

Kuipers gilde Appingedam.jpg

brandm24

Nice find, Henk. Maybe the original piece is from the Netherlands too. Not sure about the existence of cooper medals in the UK. Nothing in the US as far as I know.

Bruce
Always Faithful

Henk

I asked an expert on Dutch guild medals if this medal could be Dutch. His answer was "very ulikely" So I assume it must be a UK medal.