I'm not sure if this discussion has ever been had before, so thought I might start one. Whilst going through some of my junky coins i noticed a couple with odd edges that appear to have been purposely worked, or perhaps a result of wear related to utilitarian use. I know that when looking at stone tools from various cultures all over the world, it is not uncommon to find scrapers (very basic stone tools consisting of a stone with one or more worked edges) as small as these. This got me wondering, could people who might not have had easy access to metal tools re-purpose their coins to make tools similar to a small stone scraper? I imagine the function would have been the same as the stone counterpart. The extreme wear on the obverse/reverse of these coins could perhaps be explained by them being handled as a tool. I can't find anything on this subject on the internet, I was wondering if anyone had seen any examples of this? Or if some other form of wear could explain these edges? Are there any other examples or references to coins being re-purposed for utilitarian use in those times? As you can see, stone scrapers come in many shapes and sizes. Note the 'worked' edges on these Romans. Top appears to be Constantius II soldier spearing fallen horseman, size 2cm from from widest point. Bottom Theodosius I victory dragging captive, size is 1cm diameter. The patina is consistent along the entire edge of both coins, the shine is just from my light. This definitely isn't recent wear.
I think it would be hard to find a coin you could prove was altered to be used as a tool. I would think if it was still visible as a coin you are never sure if it was just a defective flan, and if its a full on tool most signs it used to be a coin would be gone. Do I think bronze coins over the ages, especially after they were no longer current money), used in such a way? Of course. I would. Proving it is more difficult however, since many of these coins were struck haphazardly to begin with.
See https://www.cointalk.com/threads/what-do-you-think-this-was-used-for.352017/#post-3949573 for my pastry decorator.
Here's an interesting one I got in a small uncleaned lot... Appears to be a gaming token crafted in antiquity over a VRBS ROMA type. Constantine I, AE3 Rome Commemorative, 335-337 AD Obverse: VRBS ROMA, helmeted head of Roma left, wearing imperial mantle and ornamental necklace. Reverse: She-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, [two stars above]. Exergue: [unknown]
Really interesting! I suppose making these would have been easier than making your own tokens from scratch
coins were converted into scale weights - Both of these were offered at auctions in the last year or so. If you see one, let me know. Byzantine Weights, Circa 5th-7th centuries. Weight of 1 Nomisma (Bronze, 13x13 mm, 4.33 g, 6 h), a square coin weight for a solidus made from a 4th century follis. Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed imperial bust to right. Rev. VOT V / MVLT / X within wreath. Very fine. This weight was made from a follis dating to the 360s-370s, perhaps of Jovian or Valentinian I. Starting Price: 25 CHF... 7 Dec 2019 35 CHF Leu Numismatik AG - Web Auction 10, Lot 1857 Byzantine Weights, Circa 5th-7th centuries. Weight of 1 Semissis (Bronze, 13x17 mm, 2.22 g, 11 h), a square coin weight for a semisssis made from a follis of Constantine I (307/310-337). CONS[TAN]-TIN[VS AVG] Laureate head of Constantine I to right. Rev. PRO[VID]EN-TI[AE AVGG] / SMANTΓ Campgate with no doors and two turrets; above, star. RIC 71. Very fine. Starting Price: 25 CHF... 7 Dec 2019 60 CHF Leu Numismatik AG - Web Auction 10, Lot 1856
Lines can be a big mystery. Macedonian Kingdom, Alexander III The Great, 336 - 323 BC, AE 18, 4.44 g Obverse: modified/defaced into a pattern of lines (was head of Herakles right, in lion skin headdress) Reverse: [A]LEXAND[ROU], club above legend, bow in case below The FORVM cataloger believed this was a an Amphipolis issue, Price 326. I am not certain. People have told me they believe it is a gaming token. I have no clue. The ancient "love tokens" seem to be very rare. I've only found a few references to them. In the academic literature I found a short piece from Schweizer Muenzblatter vol 19 1969 p. 14, “Amulettarige Uberarbeitung eines spatromischen Follis” and a three page article in English by Brooks Emmons Levy, “Another Converted Roman Coin?” (Schweizer Munzblatter vol. 32 (1982), p. 40. The first article features a Roman follis, the second a 30mm provincial from Antioch featuring Mên. Ken Steiglitz illustrates a Ptolemaic coin with similar modifications on his web site. I also found a Bosporan coin with similar mutilation in an old CNG catalog. The coin pictured above comes from FORVM.
So, filing the lines into the coin is a means of weight adjustment. Makes sense. Take a coin slightly heavier than the intended weight, then file lines to remove weight until it meets the intended weight measure?
