Holes in coins

[dlrwaitnonadime]

Why are there so many coins that show up with holes in them? Did that many people make necklaces out of them? If so, I guess from the number recovered from metal detectorist that putting a coin on a necklace is just not a good idea. I had thought of making a couple of necklaces from Merc Dimes for me and my wife but I would want something very substantial to affix it to the chain.

 

[gingerlm]

i have no idea why that is..i also have found some coins with holes right at the top ..so it does look like they made a necklace...very strange...but they lost them anyways, cause we found them...lol

 

[FooserPaul]

My understanding or I heard somewhere that pockets were not all that common till after the civil war... Also that is you were getting mugged and your silver was on a string down your pants leg... that was helpful *shrug*

Paul

 

[Bell-Two]

Yes I found two different one in one hunt, an 1828 Large Cent with the hole in the middle and an 1866 Two Cent piece. Sometimes they were worn about the neck as a token but often they were strung together on wire or string to keep them together for safety. My friend Doug found a Large Cent and a Canadian 1/2 Cent token together with the wire still attached!

 

[UtahRich]

The holes allowed the coins to be kept on a string or like to prevent loss. Guess if you find one with a hole in it, the last owner forget to use a string.

A coin was very valuable back then. Finding a large denomination coin from the 1800's represented a significant loss to the owner.


Rich -

 

[tippyhound]

My son found one back in the late 1980's, a Seated Dime that had the back shaved off and a very pretty intricate design and fancy initials in the center that had a hole at the top to be worn on a chain. My understanding is they were called Love Tokens. I understand some people collect them. My son still has his and won't let go of it.

 

[EladSwerdna]

I have found 2 old coins so far with holes in them. A 1773 Real and 1851 3-Cent Piece, both at the same site. Whoever lost them must have tied some crappy knots...

 

[DukeOBass]

I had heard that people sewed them inside clothing to keep from losing them.

 

[etracmick]

Some, like worn Large Cents, were used as spacers, shims and the such. Also as others have said, they were sewn into clothing, and kept on a string or wire for "safe" keeping until used.

 

[mrwilburino]

The holes allowed the coins to be kept on a string or like to prevent loss. Guess if you find one with a hole in it, the last owner forget to use a string.

A coin was very valuable back then. Finding a large denomination coin from the 1800's represented a significant loss to the owner.


Rich -

Interesting theory, yet you never hear of anyone finding a coin spill where all the coins had holes in them.

 

[Grumpyolddiver]

It would interesting to have a comparison of what an 1850's quarter would buy(In 1850) verses what it was worth ,say in 1945 and then today.I remember as a youngster in the late 1950's that you could buy 12 loaves of bread for a dollar.And in the early 60's a hostess twinkie cost 12 cents.I was at the store the other day and they had Marlboro cig,s for $7.28 a pack as if that was a real deal.Glad I haven't smoked in over 32 yrs. Grumpy

 

[tippyhound]

Congratulations Grumpy on the quiting smoking 32 years ago. You must have quit about the same time I did March 1978. Cigarettes were $.75 a pack then,

In 1959 I received a allowance of $.35 every two weeks. I remember you could buy 6 Snickers candy bars including tax for that amount, I remember my dad complaining about Vanilla ice cream costing $.50 for a half gallon and you could buy 12 hamburgers at the Prince Castle hamburger joint for $1.00. But I also remember my dad was only making $.67 an hr with a family of four. The value of the dollar today, you have to spend a dollar to get your $02 worth.

 

[Idaho PRB]

Here's a pretty cool calculator that you can go clear back to the year 1800 and figure the value of a set amount of money (USD) against todays value (to 2009). Check it out, it's fun.
Idaho PRB

Inflation Calculator

 

[King-John]

Another common thing they did back then was to nail the coin to the trim above the front door for good luck, I read this some were, wish I would have saved the article

Here's one for you that I found in Northern California

 

[Jason in Enid]

It would interesting to have a comparison of what an 1850's quarter would buy(In 1850) verses what it was worth ,say in 1945 and then today.I remember as a youngster in the late 1950's that you could buy 12 loaves of bread for a dollar.And in the early 60's a hostess twinkie cost 12 cents.I was at the store the other day and they had Marlboro cig,s for $7.28 a pack as if that was a real deal.Glad I haven't smoked in over 32 yrs. Grumpy

Well, I found a link that said a 19lb turkey cost .50 in 1850... So that would be what..... About $15-20 today?

 

[Donad]

I heard that people do some black magic with this coins, they make holes in the coins for this purpose,

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Heres a few numbers from the inflation calculator website that "Idaho PRB" posted above.
I did round the numbers off so they would be a little easier to remember.

( 1 ) If you lost a Large Cent in 1850 - it would be equal to loosing a Quarter today.

( 2 ) If you lost a Silver Dollar in 1875 - it would be equal to loosing a $20.00 bill today.

( 3 ) If you lost a Barber Dime in 1900 - it would be equal to loosing $2.50 today.

( 4 ) If you lost a Silver Dollar in 1950 - it would be equal to loosing $9.00 today.

Thanks for the link Idaho PRB !

Happy Holidays ! --- Mark