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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;BRandM, post: 3068899, member: 22729&quot;]This is an interesting piece of Troubles prison art. I&#039;m always skeptical when something is described as prison or trench art, as it tends to make the piece more important and thus desirable...more expensive too. I was skeptical about this coin as well, as it was described that way. I decided to research it and see if any information was available that would confirm the seller&#039;s claims. Surprisingly, it was.</p><p><br /></p><p>Key chains, wallets, handbags, jewelry boxes, and other items were made by inmates at Maze Prison during the 1970s and 1980s. They were sold on the outside to help support the prisoner&#039;s families while they were incarcerated. Though I couldn&#039;t determine the exact methods used to sell them, I did come across a 1981 reference to a display of items for sale at UDA headquarters in East Belfast. The Ulster Defence Association was a Loyalist paramilitary organized in 1971.</p><p><br /></p><p>The stamp on this is a common badge or crest used by the UDA. Quis Separabit is the organization&#039;s motto. It means &quot;Who Will Separate Us?&quot; The coin is a 1937 / 1946 George VI English Half Crown. The reverse is smoothed off which has obliterated nearly all the design. The composition...silver...and visible legends make it identifiable only to the range of dates listed. The size...32mm...tells me it&#039;s a Half Crown. The original key ring was sent with the coin. The overall quality is quite good, and the coloring well applied.</p><p><br /></p><p>Bruce[ATTACH=full]771009[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]771010[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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