Daventria 1683

Yesterday found, a half two pence piece Daventria 1683.
Unfortunately, the half mint is pruned.
Previously coins had the value of the metal that the coin was made. Because gold and silver were worth a lot, people thought a ruse: "pruning coins. Pruning means that criminals pieces of metal from the coins cut or filed off, so that the coins were worth less than being on it. The gold or silver which they had removed was then saved up and eventually melted into silver or gold nuggets.
On this counterfeiting was once the death penalty. Coins were therefore often be inspected and weighed. This was the job of the money changers. With a set of weights and scales, they traveled through fairs and other places where many were acted.



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		Quote:			Posted by xavier
	Thanks Erik 66 quite interesting post but how do you know that it was pruned? Regards Xavier

I would hazard a guess that since they were "hammered", the irregular shape made it easy to "prune" small pieces that were not noticable by eye. The only way to tell would be to weigh them. Hense, the money changers (and tax collectors,) who would weigh them before making change.
Eagle

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No problem my Friend. Just one of the reasons I joined this site, so I could share my meager knowledge before I shed these mortal coils.

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Not to worry Brother. I have too much time invested here to give up now.

Eagle

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