Hello everyone, new here, need coin ID please

[mercdimer]

A friend of mine in Germany found this coin, any info would be greatly appreciated. Here's the obverse, I can post a pic of the reverse upon request, but don't know what the html rules are on this forum yet :confused: The reverse of the coin doesn't have much detail, looks like an animal facing right on the bottom. Many thanks in advance.


http://home.earthlink.net/~mercdimer/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/bm_o.jpg

[electrum!]

Well the first thing I notice is that it is not an ancient coin. Looks 18th century to me. European. By virtue of hair style on the portrait. Sort of George III style stuff. That's all I have.

[Scribonius]

The legend appears to read:

LVD XVI DG FR ET NAV R[EX]

which would make it French...Louis XVI, sometime after 1774. I can't tell whch denomination from just the obverse, but probably one of the smaller silver coins. My copy of the Krause & Mishler Standard Catalog of World Coins 18th century edition doesn't show any right facing busts of Louis XVI, but not all entries are illustrated.

The reverse design would indicate the denomination, along with the date and mintmark. The animal you see at the bottom may be a cow, which was used as a mintmark on some French coins of this era.

That's about all I can add without the reverse photo. And the diameter and weight of the coin would help, too.

There's probably an early modern coin disussion group out there somewhere which could give you a more definite ID, if you google them up.

Gary

[mercdimer]

I did not realize that this forum deals with OLD coins, but however, it taught me a lesson between "old" and "ANCIENT". You have been very helpful, thanks again:)

[electrum!]

Well Merc, maybe we have gotten you interested in Ancients? They are very interesting to me. I can see how someone would be interested in "old moderns" like your coin, but... to each their own.