Like I have said in the past buying tokens by bulk you never know what can turn up in the bag. Here is something that was a delight when I found it, Haven't did any research yet. Copper, 38mmj,7mm compartment is about 5mm thick and half moon shaped. there was a jump ring that is missing,Barre is on the obverse with a capital B @ back of neck. So far only thing I I have found is a barre is a form of exercise, and a contemporary sculptor born in 1948
@Circus Jean Jacques Barre, 1793-1855, "Graveur general des Medailles" was a French medalist charged with engraving coins for Louis Philippe beginning in 1834. Upon his death, his younger son, Albert Desire Barre, 1818-1878, succeeded his father as "Graveur general at the Paris Mint" in 1855. However, the 5 franc coin listed in the Krause catalog bears some differences, and I suspect that your coin may be a copy. Chris
Not into foreign coinage/tokens thanks for the heads up. Figured the locket was a copy of the French coin. But I hadn't a chance to dig out my copy of Krause, which currently on the bottom of a stack of stuff.
Im my Krause KM#799.2 1870, 5 Francs is in .900 silver and has a mint mark BB-Strasbourg. I too am guessing yours is a faked coin or a medal.
I can't tell based on the photos, but it was quite common to see French 5 Franc coins turned into pocket knives. What you have posted @Circus is a crude reproduction.
Don't think was made as a fake coin, as it was purposed made not modified from a couple of coins. Could of held a couple of coins, pills, or secret notes
OK I know what it probably held. Street scene disks. One popular souvenir in the early 1800's in Europe were heavy stock paper disks that would show famous locations on them. Some time they had the images on both sides and sometimes an image on one side and description on the other. Sometimes the disks would be separate and sometimes they would be joined at the edge in a line and then folded accordion style. They would typically be stored in either a round box or in a metal box that often appears to be a coin or medal. (I once saw a set stored in a "box" made from two 1797 British two pence.) That piece might hold say 10 disks in the "compartment" with would then swing into the "cover".
