British coin or not?

There is no coin category
The bowl is silver. No maker's mark or hallmark. The 'coin' was obviously soldered in place. Pretty thin.

 

Was there a mount with this or did you find it loose? It is uncommon to find such a coin mounted in any recent, and by this I mean Victorian or later mounts because even then it would have been a rare coin in that condition to put in a mount. It does appear to have been cleaned recently which is a shame.

It seems a bit odd that the visually more interesting obverse is the unworn side.

Maybe the Chinese have a new line in Tudor coins. If so it's a good one.

 

I couldn't place the 'plastic' type of the handle

It's baleen

 

Typical mid Georgian toddy ladle, and looking at the original picture again the coin is still inset in the bowl. That's unusual in having an Elizabethan coin, normal in having a coin but they are usually George II or George III shillings.

Still no scale to determine if it is a small ladle with a shilling or a larger ladle with a half crown but to does explain the wear pattern and the cleaning.

Its a tricky one as the coin is far rarer than the ladle, I suspect a coin collector would remove the coin, even damaged and cleaned it is still worth more than the ladle would be with a more usual coin in it.

If I bought it I'd leave it as it is, but as an adjunct to my coin collection because it is such a well preserved Elizabeth obverse and I'd not be able to afford a 'pure' coin of that type and quality.

Any marks on the bowl or stem (which looks as if it might have been repaired)?

 

The coin is 30mm

The overall length is 13-1/2 inches, bowl diameter 2-1/2 inches

It was all black this morning before a polishing

I thought I might find a mark after the cleaning but there is none anywhere

 

It was all black this morning before a polishing

Which knocked half the value off the coin, but you weren't to know. And presumably it had been cleaned before, so I may be exaggerating a bit.

But with anything involving a coin, never clean it till you are sure it has no numismatic value.

No marks even on British made ladles is not uncommon for some reason.

 

Every time I've dealt with silver solder lately I have melted the piece I was trying to repair

I think I'll list it as a ladle and leave any rescue up to a buyer. I don't have any confidence in auctions on ebay anymore. I'll just pick a stupid BIN price.

 

As a groat it should be very thin. Thin enough to feel very thin.

I'd buy it at the right price, please let me know if you list it

 

One more reason not to polish up silver. It might have a coin in it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

I was sure there had to be a hallmark hiding in the darkness. I couldn't even make out the text on the coin.

 

Did you ever sell this ladle?

 

I listed it with a stupid high price

 

I'd date it a bit earlier than 1800 (your item specifics)

 

I figured around then for when the ladle was made

 

Further research indicates it is a shilling, possibly 5th or 6th coinage, about 1590, mint mark star. Possibly Seaby 2577

Assuming it does not sell I'd alter Groat to Shilling and list in the coin category as well.

 

Relisted as auction

 

af could not bid as I don't have a PP account with that ID so lucy*davies kicked off the auction.

 

BTW, Terry,only fair to tell you have it listed under the wrong Elizabeth. Only just noticed or I'd have told you before I placed a bid,you may not be able to alter it now. I'd also have listed it under collectables, silver as a second category.