Medal or coin?

[Guest leevan]

I'm not sure what this is, or whether it is brass or some kind of gold.

If anyone can shed a little light I'd appreciate it.

leevan

[Guest leevan]

reverse side.

[Chris Perkins 228]

Not sure what it is but if it were gold it would be pretty heavy. Looks brass to me, and with a hole in I wouldn't have thought it would be worth a great deal (unless it is gold?!)

Chris

www.predecimal.com

[Guest leevan]

I think I'd agree with it being brass. As far as I am aware, gold being a 'noble' metal doesn't oxidise very easily whereas it is obvious that the coin IS doing.

Verdigris if I recall correctly.

[Guest mish]

This is an anti-Catholic medal struck in England in 1678. The obverse features an image of Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey who was murdered on 12th October 1678. Though the murder went unsolved, it was popularly believed to have been perpetrated by Catholics (Godfrey was an active opponent of pro-Catholic reform). The reverse copies an earlier Dutch or German design popular during the Wars of Religion, and features an image of the Pope which, when reversed, becomes an image of the Devil. The legend "ECCLESIA PERVERSA TENET FACIEM DIABOLI" translates as "the Church subverted takes on the appearance of the Devil".

These medals were designed by George Bower and struck in both silver and brass. The brass medal appears in Michael Mitchener's "Jetons, Medalets and Tokens of the Low Countries and France" reference 3032. Mitchener, writing in 1991, values the medal at £35 in Very Fine condition.

[Sylvester 15]

These medals were designed by George Bower and struck in both silver and brass. The brass medal appears in Michael Mitchener's "Jetons, Medalets and Tokens of the Low Countries and France" reference 3032. Mitchener, writing in 1991, values the medal at £35 in Very Fine condition.

[ASIDE]...George Bower was also responsibly for the 1689 half guinea, and some of the William and Mary Halfpenny and farthings. The coins he designed often had rather comical portraits...

Sylvester.

[Guest leevan]

This is an anti-Catholic medal struck in England in 1678. The obverse features an image of Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey who was murdered on 12th October 1678. Though the murder went unsolved, it was popularly believed to have been perpetrated by Catholics (Godfrey was an active opponent of pro-Catholic reform). The reverse copies an earlier Dutch or German design popular during the Wars of Religion, and features an image of the Pope which, when reversed, becomes an image of the Devil. The legend "ECCLESIA PERVERSA TENET FACIEM DIABOLI" translates as "the Church subverted takes on the appearance of the Devil".

These medals were designed by George Bower and struck in both silver and brass. The brass medal appears in Michael Mitchener's "Jetons, Medalets and Tokens of the Low Countries and France" reference 3032. Mitchener, writing in 1991, values the medal at £35 in Very Fine condition.

That's very interesting. I'll keep it as an oddity (along with your explanation). Did it originally have the hole or was that added later?

[Guest mish]

Mitchener's book has a photograph of the medal without the piercing, so it was presumably added later for wearing.

[Chris Perkins 228]

You people are so super!

Thanks for coming together here.

Chris