unknown object

hi everyone,
about 40 years ago, at a local antiques market in open air ( every saterday and sunday between mai and oktober )from a dealer where I regularly bought roman coins from, I bought the following item.

It came from a lot of silver U.S.A. and Mexican coins which he had purchased for the silver value. The seller had lived in South America for 40 years and came back to his homeland. (Belgium).
What it is I do not know, it is silver of very high alloy. The images resemble drawings and objects from the Inca and Maya period that I encountered in specialized literature.
Anyone have an idea?

Thanks, sky92880

 

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Looks like a cast Aztec fantasy piece.

 

Night have been dropped by an Ancient Alien. Very nice piece.

 

Very cool coin, I'd like to see what others say.

 

I'd like to enthusiastically second @Insider --not to mention @sky92880's initial, open-eyed suspicions. Has its own pronounced, kind of silly charm. Interesting that the silver content is as high as that.

 

I forgot all about the Inca's and Mayan's. I should have read the post completely.

 

It may be a kind of Temple token that is bought and then given at an alter.
Very common practice in India, I would not hold South/Central America to be different.

 

IF this piece was a contemporary "temple token," I should think they would be published and extremely expensive. Although, valuable stuff has been found in junk boxes, I'll stick with my first reply.

 

Thanks to all for the responses.

Forgot to mention:
weight: 14.65 grams
diameter : 35.75 mm
thickness : 21 mm

@ insider: The item did not come from a junk box, the seller had the boxes (2 pieces, with everything in 2*2 holders, about 100 per box) from the previous owner. He hadn't priced anything yet. All pieces were either morgan / peace 1 dollar or mexican 1 (un) peso.
I saw the representation on the piece (head with hands in prayer position) at an traveling exhibition in Brussels at the end of the 1980s on a photo of painting on an utensil. Not identical but similar. Also the figure on the back ( wizard - medicine man - elder appeared on walls of buildings. ( again: similar, not identical ).
Archaeologists to whom I showed the object ( different in specialty ) were all there agree that it is not a modern fantasy piece.
It lives with me in a box marked "don't know".

Have a nice day!

sky92880

 

The origin of the piece was unknown to me. You said it was in a collection. I stated that valuable things are found in junk boxes (accumulations of mostly metal objects). That does not change anything I posted EXCEPT IMHO there is a SLIM to NONE chance you have a valuable "treasure." What should be needless to write is that for your sake: I HOPE I'M WRONG.

Another correction: I don't see anything in my reply that said this fantasy piece was MODERN.

Now think about this: If I were to make a fantasy to mimic the early Americas I would use the contemporary designs found on walls, pottery, jewelry, etc. I would not put an image of Micky Mouse on the piece.

Please let us know the results of your research. You might look up the specialists at a national Museum in Mexico and send them the image.

Good Luck.

 

This might be a good idea. It is also possible to do tests to an object in order to find a general idea of when and where it is from. I am not sure how much tests like that would cost, but I wouldn't be surprised if a museum would do it for you for the sake of education (and probably the hopes of buying it from you)

 

It can't be "21 mm" thick and have that diameter and weight. I wonder if a decimal point for "2.1 mm" is missing?

 

@Insider:
Thank you for your answer.
I'm okay
just to find out more about the object, any value is of no interest to me.
I've had the piece for over 40 years now, and will keep looking for as long as I can.

@ Valentinian: You are right. It is 2.1mm thickness.
Thank you all!

 

The headdress on the bottom image looks like it may be (inspired by?) Sassanian culture: https://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotv...&Lot=396&Val=5eb7f1cb043835474a197e556e556908


And the figure in the bottom image seems to maybe be holding a caduceus staff.

Also, if you look at the top image, the symbols on the left and right, they look like Persian numbers 6 (left) and 7 (right). Here's a reference on Persian numerals: https://www.languagesandnumbers.com/how-to-count-in-persian/en/fas/

 

finny, posted: "The headdress on the bottom image looks like it may be (inspired by?) Sassanian culture: https://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotv...&Lot=396&Val=5eb7f1cb043835474a197e556e556908


And the figure in the bottom image seems to maybe be holding a caduceus staff.

Also, if you look at the top image, the symbols on the left and right, they look like Persian numbers 6 (left) and 7 (right)…."

Humm, I see what could be Irish influences in the OP's coin too.

 

@Insider would you mind posting links to what elements you are referring to?

 

finny, asked: "Insider would you mind posting links to what elements you are referring to?"

THERE ARE NONE!

I was inspired to comment because of the very informative research you posted.

 

I've ignored the jerk now, but I want to respond to the knee-jerk Aztec suggestion. If you google for Aztec imagery and browse various artifacts and museum pieces you don't actually see imagery like what is on your coin/token.

Your coin/token is interesting and neat regardless if it's a more antiquated "fantasy" piece or not. It's neat to have something mysterious like that to try to hunt down.

 

Perhaps some folks here that may be seeing things such as tinfoil hats DID NOT SEE this comment this jerk posted:

Insider, posted: I forgot all about the Inca's and Mayan's.

 

Please note the wings on the warrior. Now, I think most of you that can still see these posts can agree that there is NO Sassanian connection to this piece that was made centuries later.

Now I shall be the "jerk-of-the-day."