Featured Coin on Spoon. Removable? Yes? No?

Hey folks.

So, interesting story: I won a coin at auction, which is very old, very silver, and very shipwrecky.

Problem is, said coin has been grafted onto the end of a spoon (soldered or something). Is it possible to remove the coin from the spoon? The end of the spoon-handle is just kiss-touching the rim of the coin. If possible I'd like to pull them apart somehow.

The coin is most definitely genuine, and has been documented - apparently, joining coins from this shipwreck to spoons was a fad or something, which was done for reasons I don't understand. Personally I think it's ugly and would like to just have the coin.

This is another spoon set up in the same way, from the same wreck. I think it's a travesty to treat shipwreck treasure like this. All it would take is to cut the coin off the top of the spoon...

 

Personally,I like the spoon! Its quirky. I remember way back when being able to buy pieces of eight at Mel Fishers museum in Key West. I had a necklace made out of one. They arent spectacularly rare,so Im not sure it'd make a difference? But I dont know coins,so...

 

I would think the edge of the coin had to be filed using a very fine file so the solder joint would hold. In that case, if you are able to separate them, would the coin have any value since I would think that would be considered damage? Just wondering.

 

The way I see it, the coin's been damaged already after it was soldered onto the spoon, so I don't see how anything extra could be any worse.

 

Might be worth more as is. Is the spoon silver?

 

I would definitely recommend leaving it as is. Chances are you’ll end up damaging both the coin and the spoon. And besides it adds to the appeal IMHO.

 

I'd leave bad enough alone.

 

Spoon is silver. I just think it's a tacky way to try and upsell an antique coin.

 

Well yeah, but at least it's not chrome or something.