unknown object

If you don't mind, sky, I'd like to "borrow" your pictures and show them around to some collectors I know in Europe who seem to have some expertise in this type of material. No promises, but I think it's worth a shot.

Bruce

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

@ BRandM,

Please do, it's a rather unfamiliar territory for many, let us know if you know more about it.

Thanks sky92880

 

I heard back from three collectors after I inquired about your piece. All three are certain that it's not a coin, rather a token or medallion. I think a token myself.

In any case, neither one could identify it with certainty but offered some interesting observations. My English contact thought it had an Azrec appearance. Perhaps a God on the reverse and a dancing priest or holy man on the reverse. This indicates a Central or South American orogin. The two symbols on the far left and right resemble an open "9" or a "g" on the left and a "V" on the right which would point to a relatively modern origin.

A collector from the Netherlands disagrees about the Aztec look and associates it with a Belgian Carnival society early 20th century. The symbol resembles symbols sometimes seen on the coat-of-arms of a public society. The dancing figure seems to be a fusion between Punch (Jan Klassen) and Hermes with wings and a caduceus.

I thought this observation was particularly interesting as I think you mentioned the original owner was actually Belgian though he lived in South America for many years.

My third contact, a Frenchman, had a different take. Though he thought it looked South American his reasoning was different. He thought he detected an undertype which would make it originally a coin, but altered. He thought the "G" and "V" were possibly the initials of the issuer and noted that South American street sellers would often sell altered coins as souvenirs or jewelry, especially to tourists.

Nothing definitive here but at least you have some areas that you can research, sky. Good luck.

Bruce

 

If the object were mine, I would give this opinion the greatest weight because of its relative specificity (as opposed to vague impressions) and because of the connection to the place where it was acquired.

 

That was my feeling too. The Belgian connection seemed more likely.

Bruce