Hi All These are in transit to me but I was so excited to share that I couldn't help myself. Some of you may have even seen this auction. A pair of 1799 coppers - a half penny and penny, that at some point were turned into gears!!! I would LOVE to know the story behind these. I like to picture some revolutionary war veteran finding the coins and deciding to make them into something else Who knows. Anyways I love oddball stuff like this and I couldn't pass them up!
It would be really cool to find out where they were used. I've heard of this being done and I think novelty items like this are really cool. Thanks for sharing
They probably are not gears. Pie Crimpers, not cutters. Or a tool for leather working that marks intervals for where to punch holes for stitches. I can't remember the tool name.
The style on the one of the right is the "cartwheel" style used for the cent and two pence in 1797 with the very wide rims and the date impressed on the rims. That was only used in 1797. I believe you can also see the top of the second 7 on the rev at 5:00.