Did it really, though? coins purportedly save soldier

rickyrick · November 23, 2021, 07:35 PM

Hello, I see this image almost daily on social media, claims to have stopped a WW1 bullet.

I think the bullet was still moving fast as it nicked the coins.

What say you?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

jmr40 · November 23, 2021, 08:10 PM

It wouldn't be unheard of. I've read of credible instances of bullets being stopped by thick jackets, cell phones, wallets, small Bibles, diaries in pockets, etc.

I personally know one Deputy whose wallet stopped a 40 S&W cartridge and another friend who was hit on a leather belt near the buckle where the bullet had to pass through 2 layers of leather.

It didn't completely stop the bullet, but it only penetrated his skin, not the muscle. He was ablet to push the bullet back through the hole in his skin and saved it. Other than being sore and bruised he was not injured.

Shadow9mm · November 23, 2021, 08:11 PM

coins were probably flat in a pocket. looks like the bullet came in at an angle. Might have deflected it enough to miss the person, or just graze them.

Double Naught Spy · November 23, 2021, 10:08 PM

Sure they could have stopped the bullet, or slowed it enough to keep it from penetrating. What you don't know is the impact velocity and the caliber and weight of the bullet. It may not have been moving all that fast when it hit.

mehavey · November 23, 2021, 10:28 PM

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/13/world...rnd/index.html
https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2018/11...h-war-story-c/

For "the rest of the story" (and the rest of the coins)

rickyrick · November 23, 2021, 10:37 PM

mehavey,
Thanks for the articles, they put the story in the proper context.

DaleA · November 24, 2021, 05:57 PM

I'm not going to bother to look it up but years ago there was a sensationalistic headline, like from the National Inquirer, about how silicon implants in a woman saved her life because the bullet otherwise would have penetrated further and maybe killed her...yeah, 'journalism' today. That said, I admit I read it and obviously remember it, so....bad me.

DaleA · November 24, 2021, 05:59 PM

Also lets not forget the Woody Allen bit where he keeps a bullet in his breast pocket so that if somebody throws a bible at him he will be protected.

**44 AMP** · November 24, 2021, 10:04 PM

A real life example can be found in the movie Tora Tora Tora.

Adm Kimmel, is watching the attack on the fleet at Pearl Harbor from his HQ, standing behind a set of french doors. A bullet breaks the glass, and strikes him, bouncing off his uniform jacket. It was reported as having been a "spent" Japanese 7,7mm round.

History is full of examples of bullets being stopped by various things, particualy things not usually thought of as "bulletproof".

Most of the time, there's no way of knowing what speed those bullets were moving when they got stopped. Often in combat, they're not doing full muzzle velocity.

when the stars line up in just the right way, the most unlikely things can happen.

rickyrick · November 24, 2021, 11:19 PM

I have also heard of bullets traveling around the inside of the old steel pot type helmets. The original picture that I referred too looked to me like the bullet caught the edge of the stack of coins and kept traveling. After put in the correct context, it made a lot more sense.
What the articles don’t mention it’s the caliber and type of weapon. But it seems from the account that this was close quarters. Could have possibly been a pistol, who knows. But the soldiers were close enough together that the coins could be heard by the German soldier.

**44 AMP** · November 25, 2021, 12:56 PM

Quote:

I have also heard of bullets traveling around the inside of the old steel pot type helmets

Bullets have done that. Bullets do all kinds of strange things when conditions are exactly right for them to happen. Speed, impact angle, bullet construction and material impacted are the main factors.

If you don't think so, go skip rocks.

**4V50 Gary** · November 26, 2021, 03:00 PM

In my book on sniping, I tell an of account where a man is shot and goes down. His buddies grab him and pull him to safety. They began to unbotton him to examine him for wounds. The bullet was stopped by a medal he had on him.

I've seen a cigarette case that stopped a bullet. Better yet, a bible. Rememberthe Civil War's Lt. Dixon who commanded the submarine Hunley? They found his gold coin that stopped a minie ball aboard the Hunley. It's displayed with the sub. These things happen.

M3 Pilot · December 19, 2021, 04:51 PM

Many years ago, one of my patients had attempted suicide with a .22 pistol to upper palate. The bullet was deflected by the inner surface of his skull and and circumnavigated his skull. Very little serious damage was done.

101combatvet · December 19, 2021, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickyrick

Hello, I see this image almost daily on social media, claims to have stopped a WW1 bullet.

I think the bullet was still moving fast as it nicked the coins.

What say you?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks like twenty Belgium Francs. That should be enough silver to stop a bullet.

rickyrick · December 19, 2021, 07:28 PM

It turns out to be true, but when I initially saw the picture it looked like the bullet kept going.

November 23, 2021, 07:35 PM	#1
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,237	Did it really, though? coins purportedly save soldier Hello, I see this image almost daily on social media, claims to have stopped a WW1 bullet. I think the bullet was still moving fast as it nicked the coins. What say you? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

November 23, 2021, 08:10 PM	#2
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,808	It wouldn't be unheard of. I've read of credible instances of bullets being stopped by thick jackets, cell phones, wallets, small Bibles, diaries in pockets, etc. I personally know one Deputy whose wallet stopped a 40 S&W cartridge and another friend who was hit on a leather belt near the buckle where the bullet had to pass through 2 layers of leather. It didn't completely stop the bullet, but it only penetrated his skin, not the muscle. He was ablet to push the bullet back through the hole in his skin and saved it. Other than being sore and bruised he was not injured. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

November 23, 2021, 08:11 PM	#3
Shadow9mm Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 3,974	coins were probably flat in a pocket. looks like the bullet came in at an angle. Might have deflected it enough to miss the person, or just graze them. __________________ I don't believe in "range fodder" that is why I reload.

November 23, 2021, 10:08 PM	#4
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	Sure they could have stopped the bullet, or slowed it enough to keep it from penetrating. What you don't know is the impact velocity and the caliber and weight of the bullet. It may not have been moving all that fast when it hit. __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

November 23, 2021, 10:37 PM	#6
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,237	mehavey, Thanks for the articles, they put the story in the proper context. __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

November 23, 2021, 10:28 PM	#5
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,894	https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/13/world...rnd/index.html https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2018/11...h-war-story-c/ For "the rest of the story" (and the rest of the coins)

November 24, 2021, 05:57 PM	#7
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	I'm not going to bother to look it up but years ago there was a sensationalistic headline, like from the National Inquirer, about how silicon implants in a woman saved her life because the bullet otherwise would have penetrated further and maybe killed her...yeah, 'journalism' today. That said, I admit I read it and obviously remember it, so....bad me.

November 24, 2021, 05:59 PM	#8
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	Also lets not forget the Woody Allen bit where he keeps a bullet in his breast pocket so that if somebody throws a bible at him he will be protected.

November 24, 2021, 10:04 PM	#9
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,833	A real life example can be found in the movie Tora Tora Tora. Adm Kimmel, is watching the attack on the fleet at Pearl Harbor from his HQ, standing behind a set of french doors. A bullet breaks the glass, and strikes him, bouncing off his uniform jacket. It was reported as having been a "spent" Japanese 7,7mm round. History is full of examples of bullets being stopped by various things, particualy things not usually thought of as "bulletproof". Most of the time, there's no way of knowing what speed those bullets were moving when they got stopped. Often in combat, they're not doing full muzzle velocity. when the stars line up in just the right way, the most unlikely things can happen. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

November 24, 2021, 11:19 PM	#10
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,237	I have also heard of bullets traveling around the inside of the old steel pot type helmets. The original picture that I referred too looked to me like the bullet caught the edge of the stack of coins and kept traveling. After put in the correct context, it made a lot more sense. What the articles don’t mention it’s the caliber and type of weapon. But it seems from the account that this was close quarters. Could have possibly been a pistol, who knows. But the soldiers were close enough together that the coins could be heard by the German soldier. __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

November 26, 2021, 03:00 PM	#12
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,838	In my book on sniping, I tell an of account where a man is shot and goes down. His buddies grab him and pull him to safety. They began to unbotton him to examine him for wounds. The bullet was stopped by a medal he had on him. I've seen a cigarette case that stopped a bullet. Better yet, a bible. Rememberthe Civil War's Lt. Dixon who commanded the submarine Hunley? They found his gold coin that stopped a minie ball aboard the Hunley. It's displayed with the sub. These things happen. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

December 19, 2021, 04:51 PM	#13
M3 Pilot Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2005 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 152	Many years ago, one of my patients had attempted suicide with a .22 pistol to upper palate. The bullet was deflected by the inner surface of his skull and and circumnavigated his skull. Very little serious damage was done.

December 19, 2021, 07:28 PM	#15
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,237	It turns out to be true, but when I initially saw the picture it looked like the bullet kept going. __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!