Hello there, I've found this little coin or token which I just can't identify. The inscriptions read "Reche Pfening" on one side and "Minerva" on the other. There is no mention of any country, but "Reche Pfening" sound German, although 'pfening' is spelled wrong, at least as far as my German go (which is not too far...) The persons on the coin might resemble a Roman soldier and a Roman god, but I am not sure. I've also searched the net, but found no useful hits. Weight: appr. .9 grams / .03oz Diameter: 1.9mm Material: hmmm, copper? All feedback appreciated!
Strange, I've seen pfennig & pfenning, both of which are old german coins or currency, but I've never seen pfening.
A few of these have been posted here some time ago. It is a Nuremberg rechenpfennig (reckoning penny / counting token). Probably made by one Johann Jakob Lauer (his tokens often have the initials I.L. on the coin) (1806-1865) or another member of his family as it was a family of counter makers that include Ernest Ludwig Sigmund Lauer (1783-1833) and Ludwig Christian Lauer (1842-1873). They seem to have produced quite a few counters including a series of counters with Roman and Greek themes (minerva, alexander the great) and this is one of them. If you do a search fo Johann Lauer you will probably fine other examples of his work in a similar style. His tokens are listed in Michael Mitchiner's work on Jetons, Medalets & Tokens Vol 1 The Medieval Pd. & Nuremberg. A book I do not have. Something interesting I found about this family of counter makers (who also made toy coins of actual circulation coinage of the day): 'As the use of these tokens diminished so did the makers. In 1783 there were still 12 masters making computing Pfennigs. In 1830 there were 7. In 1843 it was only one. By lack of sales Ludwig Christian Lauer, the last yielding was forced to stop production and died in 1873.' so it seems that his son? was the last if not one of the last producers of these counters.
Hi welcome to CoinTalk, lovely little item you have there :hug: Great bit of history as well thanks Dru :hail:
