MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Big Kev]

It's been 'restamped' on top of an older coin.

[Stanley]

First time I knew we had ever had a Charles III!

[Wendyf]

It's a Spanish silver dollar, but stamped as a 5 shilling coin for some reason.

[chinatyke]

1773 was the first year Charles III portrait design was minted in silver in Potosi Bolivia. This is an 8 real coin that has been converted into a 5/- piece ( a crown) maybe to reflect the value of its silver content. (Thank you E-Bay)

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1773-MADRID-2-R ... 2968788374

https://coins.www.collectors-society.co ... x?sc=72504

I assume it came from a captured Spanish ship (pirates perhaps) and was altered for resale or reuse in a British colony.

[Tizer]

China and Wendy are on the right track, it is a Spanish silver dollar and yes it is stamped as five shillings. But there's still more of the story to tell. Why make a hole a in it?

[plaques]

Have you lot no shame. Using internet searches is not playing the game but since we are here take a look at this . Holey Dollar. Link.. Sorry Tizer for the spoiler but as a kid I had some coins with square holes in them but can't remember what happened to them.

[Tizer]

That Wikipedia page tells the story. I'd been hoping that one of our Australian members might have known about the Holey Dollar and the fifteen pence Dump made from it.

Plaques, I had some of those square hole coins too when I was a kid. I think they might have been Chinese or at least somewhere in that region. When I attended a postcard fair recently one of the freebies at the reception desk was a copy of the first issue of a new coin collector’s magazine and it was there that I saw the Holey Dollar and Dump. The magazine was packed with interesting stuff and superb photos - if you're still interested in coins it's worth a look if you can get hold of a copy cheap. Magazine I don't know if later issues will be as good, of course.

[Stanley]

What can you tell me about this pic......

[chinatyke]

I think I was there yesterday!

Bamboo scaffolding?

[Stanley]

Bugger! You've got it first time, exactly right, bamboo scaffolding in HK..... Someone put another up!

[Stanley]

I give in, try this one.....

[Tizer]

A giant's shoe brush?

[chinatyke]

I know (smug feeling) but I'll keep quiet.

[Wendyf]

Is it a printing block?

[Marilyn]

Last time we saw it, I suggested it was a cake that Stanley baked back in the 1980s, and he popped it at the back of the cupboard for visitors. ( no "use by" dates on home cooked cakes! Hence it is still there)
Sorry Stanley, but you do push the longivety of some foodstuffs/medicines/household goods/embrocations...

[Stanley]

Wendy has it as has, I have no doubt, China.



Here's the business side of it.
So, have a go at this one....



All right, it's a Puckle repeating gun of 1718..... But why are there chambers for round and square bullets?

[StoneRoad]

Mainly intended as a ship mounted defence against boarders.
Christians got the round bullets, Muslim Turks the square shot (more damaging wounds and intended to persuade the Turks of the *benefits of Christianity). Could also fire a form of canister round - a container with 15/20 musket/pistol balls.

*Not sure how that works

[Stanley]

Bugger! He's got it exactly right! As a penalty, put the next object up!

[StoneRoad]

OK

How about this (ignore the title, it isn't a real clue)


O&S - geode 1 of 3 par StoneRoad2013, on Ipernity

For scale, I think it was about one by two inches across before being sliced up.

[Marilyn]

A gall stone?

[Stanley]

I'll go with Maz.....

[StoneRoad]

Sorry, Maz and Stanley - not a gallstone

[Marilyn]

It seems to have something metal in it, like part of a stud or earring? Or part of a metal probe? Or part of a fork?

[chinatyke]

A slice through a fossilised seed?

[Stanley]

It reminds me of a piece of fossilised wood......