Large cents made into a tool.

Any thoughts on what this was for? It's not mine. Just trying to help someone.

 

A different one.

 

Hi daveydempsey. I didn't know you are a mod over here. Cool. This is the other side of the token/medal. I don't know what it is.

 

That token seems to be an ode to transportation of some sort.

 

I believe this was a stack from an early version Ramsay Coin and Cylinder Trick. The stack held a magnet.
here is a refined Ramsey stack: http://www.toddlassen.com/ramsay.htm
Ramsey popularized his trick in the 1940's but a much earlier trick called caps and coins have been done for hundreds of years. Assuming the date of the coins gives us a sense of when it was done...it is from a caps and coins trick.

 

On the plus side, at least it was done with the later 1840's -50's one cents which are much more common then the early 19th century coins. Almost looks a custom tool to open a case for a factory watchman or a chuck key a machinist might use to frequently change bits - wanting a tool he could keep in his pocket, not on a key chain ?