Spanish coins were very common in the colonial time frame..before american
currency.and later...i have located small sections at a tavern site  in
Virginia..these were clipped from the 2 and 4 reales size coins..our
american currency is based on the spanish coin so to find these is not
umcommpn for the age of the sites that have been worked...Kris
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael LaRonge" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, May 09, 2002 6:36 AM
Subject: Spanish coin at a German site


Fellow Histarchers,

I have been working at the site of a post office that operated from about
1861 to 1879, and serviced a small German Catholic community.  Earlier this
week we found a coin at the site that caused a bit of a stir.  The coin is a
Spanish half real of Carolus III from 1781.  It has been pierced and was
probably worn as a pendant or charm.

Oddly, enough an Australian metal detector found a similar coin from 1773,
although he is not online anymore his website is:
(http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Rapids/5798/find5.html)  The coin he
found is pierced in the same spot as the one we found.

After that lengthy introduction on to the question.  Has anyone found and/or
heard of other Spanish coins of that period treated in similar fashion?  We
are thinking it may be a souvenir from the Mexican American War, and we are
looking into the history of the residents to see if any family members were
involved.  Any help with this would be appreciated and thanks in advance.

Michael LaRonge
Wisconsin Historical Society
Museum Archaeology Program
Coyier Lab
331 Coyier Lane
Madison, WI 53713
(608) 271-9097