Hi all, first post. I’m looking for help before I decide whether to wear a piece of jewelry. I'm not a collector myself but inherited a coin charm bracelet assembled by my grandfather in the 1960s from a box of miscellaneous coins he purchased. Most of the bracelet is identifiable: there's an 1866 Napoleon III French Empire coin, an Edward VII British piece, and others from around the world. One coin has always been the odd one out and I'm hoping someone here can help. I’ve done as much googling as I can and am stuck. Physical description: Copper/bronze colored, clearly not gold (which is different from the entire rest of the bracelet), 15mm diameter. Obverse: leftward-facing portrait consistent with the Indian Princess design, fairly clear despite wear. Reverse: central "1", below it what could be "DOLLAR", below that what must be a worn date in very bad shape, wreath around the perimeter. The edge isn’t visible due to being mounted in a bezel on the bracelet. Provenance and backstory (family oral history, take with appropriate salt): My grandfather purchased a box of miscellaneous coins in the mid-1960s. In the 1970s he brought it to the Smithsonian, where a curator apparently examined it, looked disappointed, and said something to the effect of "I thought we had the only one of these left in the world." I have no documentation of this other than family stories. What I'm trying to determine: I want to understand what I have before making a mundane decision: is this worth insuring, or can I just wear the bracelet without worry? If it turns out to be something significant I'd consider finding it a good home with a serious collector, but that's secondary. Is this consistent with any known pattern or off-metal error? Does the Smithsonian anecdote ring any bells for anyone with deep coin knowledge? Photos attached — happy to provide more with different lighting. I understand the bezel is a problem for proper examination and am aware it would need to come off before any formal authentication. Thanks in advance for any guidance.
