# What the heck is this coin-like object? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274 "2010-07-19T21:12:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/1 "2010-07-19T21:12:59Z")
These (there are two of them) were in my father’s jewelry box when I received it after his death many years ago. I’ve never been able to figure out what they are. I’m pretty sure they’re not real coins, and they don’t appear to be buttons, since there are no holes. They measure about an inch across and are made of metal. Any ideas welcome. [First side](http://www.flickr.com/photos/43200610@N07/4810172698/) [Second side](http://www.flickr.com/photos/43200610@N07/4809549037/) ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/2 "2010-07-19T21:19:56Z")
I didn’t look into them too deeply to find an answer but googling “CEAA coin” came up with a lot of hits. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/3 "2010-07-19T21:21:28Z")
It looks like an old coin, with the letters CEAAE on it. I googled “CEAAE” and came up with [this](http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=243252.0), which shows a coin that looks like yours (you didn’t post there too, did you?). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/4 "2010-07-19T21:27:26Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > It looks like an old coin, with the letters CEAAE on it. > > I googled “CEAAE” and came up with [this](http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=243252.0), which shows a coin that looks like yours (you didn’t post there too, did you?). No, I didn’t. That looks like it answers the question. There’s a post down the page that says these were replicas mailed out by the thousands to promote a Greek book of some sort. Perhaps I can safely toss them out. Or maybe leave them in the hidden compartment to mystify my own children. Just looked on eBay and found the identical objects. The faint markings on the back say “copy”, but I couldn’t read them on mine. Problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/5 "2010-07-19T21:32:59Z")
Very common Roman coin, and very common reproduction of a Roman coin. A professional could tell you if it’s a reproduction. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/6 "2010-07-19T21:44:30Z")
I have one of those coins and I never knew what it was but **Thudlows** link seems like a good answer. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/7 "2010-07-19T21:54:54Z")
Identical coin here [http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=243252.0](http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=243252.0) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/8 "2010-07-19T23:58:33Z")
Definitely a 20th century horrible reproduction of an ancient coin. I probably get one in mixed coins over our counter about every 2-3 weeks. I probably have a cup with a few hundred. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/9 "2010-07-20T00:34:19Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Definitely a 20th century horrible reproduction of an ancient coin. > > I probably get one in mixed coins over our counter about every 2-3 weeks. I probably have a cup with a few hundred. Yeah, but why? What exactly were they made for? It still seems a bit mysterious. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/10 "2010-07-20T00:49:10Z")
> [@Sal\_Ammoniac](#): > > Yeah, but why? What exactly were they made for? It still seems a bit mysterious. If you scroll up to **Chefguy’s** post, he say, in the link, that > [@](#): > > That looks like it answers the question. There’s a post down the page that says these were replicas mailed out by the thousands to promote a Greek book of some sort. . I have no reason to doubt that. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/11 "2010-07-20T00:49:31Z")
From looking at it, the top letters don’t like like CEAA something to me. Maybe they are the greek letters for Greece? Greece = HELLAS = ΈΛΛΑΣ (all caps) [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece): Greece (English: /ˈɡriːs/ ; Greek: Ελλάδα, Elláda, IPA: [eˈlaða] ( listen); Ancient Greek: Ἑλλάς, Hellás, IPA: [helːás]), also known as Hellas and officially the Hellenic Republic ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/12 "2010-07-20T01:39:45Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Or maybe leave them in the hidden compartment to mystify my own children. Good plan. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/13 "2010-07-20T01:57:02Z")
Bury them, wait centuries, hilarity ensues. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/14 "2010-07-20T02:52:27Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > From looking at it, the top letters don’t like like CEAA something to me. Maybe they are the greek letters for Greece? > Greece = HELLAS = ΈΛΛΑΣ (all caps) > > [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece): > Greece (English: /ˈɡriːs/ ; Greek: Ελλάδα, Elláda, IPA: [eˈlaða] ( listen); Ancient Greek: Ἑλλάς, Hellás, IPA: [helːás]), also known as Hellas and officially the Hellenic Republic Excellent work. Now I can impress people with my newfound knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/15 "2010-07-20T03:21:29Z")
I have one or two of those around. I think they (the modern reproductions) were mass mailed as trinkets to promote membership in a history book club or some such thing. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-coin-like-object/547274/16 "2010-07-20T13:44:22Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > No, I didn’t. That looks like it answers the question. There’s a post down the page that says these were replicas mailed out by the thousands to promote a Greek book of some sort. Maybe _that’s_ what crashed the Greek economy!