# Five hole large cent?????



## cobaltbot (Jan 11, 2012)

I was digging in the foundation yesterday and this large cent popped out.  It looked like it had a hole in the middle and when I got it home I discovered it had five holes, some were filled in with dirt and corrosion.  I've heard of coins having one hole for jewelry or two holes for being used as a button and that coins were sometimes holed so they could be sewn into clothing for safe keeping, but would they have made five holes for that?????  Any ideas?


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## RICKJJ59W (Jan 11, 2012)

I think they put string through those and  pulled it,it made a whistle of sort. Another words its a cheep toy. 1 cent to make it []


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## surfaceone (Jan 11, 2012)

Hey Steve,

 Thanks for this mystery. Can'ya see a date on the Largie? How are the holes arranged around the head?

 Did'ya see this on Pierced Coins?

 "Coins With Three Or More Piercings: N=5
 Only 6 coins out of the 469 examined had three or more perforations: 
 One Liberty Seated half dime (unknown date) with three holes: on the obverse side, one at 12 and one at 6 and a slightly smaller diameter hold at 3 oâ€™clock. 
 One Liberty Seated quarter (unknown date) with three holes: on the obverse side, one at 12, one at center, and one at 6 oâ€™clock. 
 One Morgan Dollar (1889) with four holes: relatively small holes placed midway between 12 and 3, 3 and 6, 6 and 9, and 9 and 12 oâ€™clock. 
 One Liberty Seated half dime (1830s), well worn, with four holes: relatively even sized holes placed roughly at 11 and 1, and 5:30 and 7:30 oâ€™clock. 
 One Coronet Head large cent (1820s) with five holes. This appears to be very purposefully executed but we have no suggestion as to why.
 Though these coins are each different, several are consistent after a fashion with the perforations found to be common on the coins with two pierced holes. That is, most of these could have been combined with other coins to construct a bracelet or other compound jewelry. The Coronet Head large cent with five perforations is anomalous and does not fit this pattern."

 Their 5 holer is illustrated, but unlike yours.

 You could make a post @ This Forum. It might garner some good attention and opinion.




From.


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## surfaceone (Jan 12, 2012)

Cypher key? Hoodoo charm?


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## surfaceone (Jan 12, 2012)

"Post medieval silver shilling of of Edward VI (1551 - 1553), Tun mm. The coin is in good but worn and pierced condition, is 32mm in diameter and weighs 5.08g. Smooth wear and pierced hole suggest coin may have been worn as a touch-piece." From.

 "A touch piece is a coin or medal attached to attracted superstitious beliefs, such as those with "holes" in them or those with particular designs. Such pieces were believed to cure disease, bring good luck, influence people's behaviour, carry out a specific practical action, etc.
 What most touch pieces have in common is that they have to be touched or in close physical contact for the power concerned to be obtained and/or transferred. Once this is achieved, the power is permanently present in the coin, which effectively becomes an amulet..." and more on Touch Pieces.


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## cobaltbot (Jan 12, 2012)

Hey Rick thanks, a bullroarer or whatever you call them usually only had two holes.

 Surf, thanks your research skills are incredible!  It is likely a coronet large cent like many of the examples.  The date is sketchy I'm still working on that.  I'll have to see how its centered when I get home, the geometric allignment was purposely executed. If it has magic powers maybe I should wear it[]


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## AntiqueMeds (Jan 12, 2012)

You can probably rule out jewelry since its a copper coin.


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## RICKJJ59W (Jan 12, 2012)

Maybe  they punched  like a ticket stub to get in the movies or something [8D]


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## RICKJJ59W (Jan 12, 2012)

This is a "Coin" forum. A guy has a one cent piece  with the holes in the same place as yours. 

     http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=103650

 I hope this link works---


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## cobaltbot (Jan 12, 2012)

Nice Rick! cool find on that link.  It looks exactly the same, when I get home I'm going to hold mine up to that.  I like the suggestion that it might have been used in a mechanical way, as in a clock.  Having two show up so similar means that is more than just random and the mystery probably has an answer = THANKS!


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## RICKJJ59W (Jan 12, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  cobaltbot
> 
> Nice Rick! cool find on that link.  It looks exactly the same, when I get home I'm going to hold mine up to that.  I like the suggestion that it might have been used in a mechanical way, as in a clock.  Having two show up so similar means that is more than just random and the mystery probably has an answer = THANKS!


 

 Ya see I can be a search wizard like surf,just not as perdy [:-]


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## JOETHECROW (Jan 12, 2012)

> ORIGINAL: AntiqueMeds
> 
> You can probably rule out jewelry since its a copper coin.


 
 Steve...another really cool find! Interesting thread too....

 Matt, curious about your observation, My grandmother wore a copper bracelet as a medicinal thing,...alleged to ease arthritis pain.


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## surfaceone (Jan 13, 2012)

Hey Joe,

 Lord knows there's days when I could really use some copper long johns...


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## JOETHECROW (Jan 19, 2012)

Too apt Surf!...Me too.[:'(] (The copper thing as an aid to arthritis pain has an awful lot of believers) It may have some merit.


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