opions please

[Debbie 58]

Hello fellow forumers. I wondered what you all thought the initials were on this little love token I've got. WA , AM , HV, MV ...???

Its on the back of a 1891 seated liberty dime - not that that would have much influence, other than a reference to a coin!

[Peckris 579]

Hello fellow forumers. I wondered what you all thought the initials were on this little love token I've got. WA , AM , HV, MV ...???

Its on the back of a 1891 seated liberty dime - not that that would have much influence, other than a reference to a coin!

I'd say one was definitely a V. My guess is that the other is H - with the crossbar slightly pointed to echo the point of the V. If it was an M, the point is in the wrong direction, and I simply cannot see an A there. Beautifully engraved though.

[Debbie 58]

I simply cannot see an A there

I thought that if the coin were turned upside down - or even perhaps the right way round? - there could be an A with the centre of an M as its cross bar.Who know eh?

[Cerbera100 0]

Initial reaction (get it ) - WV, but could be HV...

[Gollum 2]

Hello fellow forumers. I wondered what you all thought the initials were on this little love token I've got. WA , AM , HV, MV ...???

Its on the back of a 1891 seated liberty dime - not that that would have much influence, other than a reference to a coin!

Judging from the date of the coin, I would be more inclined to take a look at the style of writing and the kind of lettering from that date on other things and then take it from there.

[Debbie 58]

Initial reaction

Ha ha very good!

Gollum thanks for the suggestion, but I am not sure how helpful that would be given that I have come across some engraved coins that have been inscribed up to 80 years after the date on the coin. It’s weird to think that whoever altered the coin may have chosen it because it was old even then. I have never come across this style before (not that I am proclaiming to be an expert having only started collecting such coins a month ago!!) It might be due to the fact it is an American coin and purchased from over there. The Americans do seem to be more prolific in producing love tokens and the like and look to be slightly more elaborate with their designs.

[Gollum 2]

what I meant Debbie or am trying to explain is that over the years people or cultures used to form letters in differing styles, if there is alrge difference between them I am unsure, but starting from the date of the coin and working forwards with a google search may well throw up the stylised version of the letter H over the years, this would give you a means of identifying if it was a H.

http://www.fromoldbooks.org/Search/?kw=letterh

[argentumandcoins 70]

The lettering is best described as Gothic revival and will be mid late Victorian. I agree with Peck and go for VH, you can of course call it MA if you invert it, but that would depend on what your own initials were

[Debbie 58]

Cool - this post has lead me on to learn lots more interesting bits. I have done a bit of research and discovered that monograms have specific rules and layouts

Monograms & Monogram Style Engraving:

Please keep in mind that Monograms, by their very nature and tradition, are used only to engrave 3 initials. Monograms feature the Last Name Initial as a centered larger letter, with the first name initial on the left and the middle name initial on the right, smaller than the centered last name initial. Monograms are not gender specific and may be used to engrave for an individual or a couple:

Individual monograms appear as first name initial, last name initial and middle name initial, in that order. As an example, if the full three names were Justin Charles Morgan, the monogram would appear in the order of initials as JMC, with the center/last name initial M larger in the center.

Marital or Couple's monograms, in which you would provide the bride's or wife's first name initial in the first name initial field, provide the groom's or husband's first name initial in the middle name initial field and the couple's last name initial in the last name initial field. This will create a traditional couple's married monogram. As an example, if the couple's names are Jane and Mike Doe, their monogram would be JDM. It is traditional for the bride's or wife's first name initial to be placed first in the monogram.

[Coinery 1,157]

Just a thought re orientation of the letters but, if I was going to engrave a coin for my loved one, preserving the obverse side of the coin, which I presume to be generally what happens, then I would have the bust or obverse design ^ ^ ! So, Dr Watson, which way up are the the letters, when keeping the bust/obverse-design correctly orientated?

[Debbie 58]

That would be the first photo then. Yes you may well be right Stuart, it looks like most of the intials I have on coins are in alighnment with the other side.

[Gollum 2]

well how about it stands for victoria hanover, google says that i worth money......

[TomGoodheart 403]

IMA? assuming the 'upside down' version is the right one. Since one of the down strokes is in front of the V shape I think it might be a third letter. The middle bars of the M also forming the crossbar of the A .. but then monograms are always stylised to a degree. This one a bit more than others.

If it was a 'V' then the other letters are a bit odd ... not quite a 'W', not quite 'H' ..

[Peckris 579]

IMA? assuming the 'upside down' version is the right one. Since one of the down strokes is in front of the V shape I think it might be a third letter. The middle bars of the M also forming the crossbar of the A .. but then monograms are always stylised to a degree. This one a bit more than others.

If it was a 'V' then the other letters are a bit odd ... not quite a 'W', not quite 'H' ..

You're a what?