Post a medal or a token.

[Stanley]

Sellers image

[MunkyMan95]

I wish I had an interesting medal or token to post...

[BillJones]

Here's an example of where a Civil War token die sinker borrowed a major design element from an early gold coin. The slogan on the token reads, "United we stand Divided we fall." The liberty hear is a reasonable copy from an early gold piece, in this case the quarter eagle type from 1796 to 1807.

 

The 1804 quarter eagle did have a collector value in 1863, but if you couldn't find a collector buyer, banks were willing to pay more than $2.50 for it because of its gold content. This was especially true during the Civil War when greenbacks (Union paper money) was worth less, sometimes a lot less, that hard money especially gold. But even in 1834 when Congress reduced the weight of all U.S. gold coins, this 1804 quarter melted for more than $2.50. This is one of the reason why all early U.S. gold coins are so scarce.

 

 

The reverses were, of course vastly different.

 

While CWT die sinkers were willing to use elements of U.S. coin designs, making exact copies would have landed you in jail if you were caught doing it.

[MunkyMan95]

Nice CWT Bill!

[JRocco]

Wow...What great stuff

Here is a restrike of a 1555 Pope Marcellus II

30 mm copper

Obverse- Bust of Pope Marcellus II, bareheaded wearing cope and morse

Reverse - Christ presenting the keys of the Kingdom to St Peter

Mazio 74

Spink 561

[JRocco]

Just to jar a few old memories, I owned this medal. In fact it was the medal that originally got me interested in Papal material. I sold this one into strong hands. The current collector is taking real nice care of it.

This medal is unbelievable. For you old timers, this was first posted here about 3-4 years ago.

[bsshog40]

Nice one's ther Bill and jrocco. I like the 1804 Bill . Jrocco that medal has got some detail!

[MercP]

Just to jar a few old memories, I owned this medal. In fact it was the medal that originally got me interested in Papal material. I sold this one into strong hands. The current collector is taking real nice care of it.

This medal is unbelievable. For you old timers, this was first posted here about 3-4 years ago.

 

I am actualy not fond of people who "quote" others whole posts.............

 

Oh My that is a great medal. As I have said before, it looks as if you could take a stroll through the coin. IMHO the best one yet.

 

MercP

[MAULEMALL]

I love that medal but This one is still my faverite;

[AegisIII]

Ok, time for the assay commission medals. These were given to the members of the assay commission, as a gratuity for testing the nation's coinage each year, issued from 1860-1977 (except for 1862-66). Distribution of these were much more controlled than for other mint medals, and basically only commission members, some mint officials, and sometimes some treasury officials would receive one. In some years, you could possibly get one if you had an inside connection to the mint, but these were rare. The 1977 medal was also later issued to the general public, and is the only assay medal which is readily obtainable. In fact, for all years 1860-1976 I would estimate that there are a total of only 5000-6000 medals combined! At the Long Beach show that just ended, I could only find one medal on the floor, less than the number of Libertas Americana medals. (Unfortunately, it was astoundingly overpriced.)

 

And now for some medals (consider this part one). These five medals are all 33mm in diameter.

 

1868, in aluminum.

 

1870, in bronzed copper. This is easily the most "common" classic assay medal; I would estimate that there are around 175-225 of these in existence. Obviously, distribution was not that tight in this case.

 

1875, also in bronzed copper. There are probably around 30 of these.

 

1885, silver. This year, the assay commissioners received copper medals. The mint also sometimes issued them to some connected collectors in other metals. The 1885 silver issue is thought to have a mintage of only four. I know of two of them, though it wouldn't surprise me if there are one to three more. This specimen was once in Virgil Brand's massive collection (along with the other one I've traced.)

 

1899, silver. Mintage of this year was about 40, silver being the metal for those given to the commissioners.

[ldhair]

I love the reverse of the McKinley.

Now that's a tough looking eagle.

[JRocco]

Here is a large medal. It is a 43 mm bronze Pope Pius IX

This one is a strong piece.

[MercP]

Aegislll,

 

Very cool. I would love to see Part 2

 

MercP

[Dcoin]

I went a little metal happy this weekend

 

 

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Enjoy

[AegisIII]

Part 2 will occur after the 140th post is made on this thread. I don't want to overwhelm it.

[Heavymetal]

[123cents]

[chinook]

[bsshog40]

Nice medals all. I'm still a chevy man but still like that Ford medal.

[ldhair]

Something a bit strange.

[bsshog40]

What is that, a two-headed cap? Cool!

[rrantique]

This must have the beginning of the "Hobo" nickel idea. I would say that is a great piece of work there. Beautiful and on a Liberty nickel too.

[ldhair]

Some called these pushed out or popped out coin.

They were made with a punch. Some are quite old and others are modern. Here is one more.

[bsshog40]

that's neat Larry. It's kind of like that commercial where the house is talking to the lady about her termites!

[comicAL]

Hi, ldhair

 

I have enjoyed the many different medals and tokens in this thread, just wonderful!

From the Longines Symphonette, Great American Triumphs Series, .999 Fine Silver

 

AAJ

 

[WinstonWare]

That's a neat one Al

[ldhair]

[bsshog40]

Like the pony express AL, and the columbian there Larry!!

[AegisIII]

More Assay Commission medals. Part one stopped at 1899. Up through 1900 most assay medals were round and 33mm in diameter, with few exceptions. in 1901 a major change occurred, and the assay medal of this year was a rectangular plaque, 40x57 mm. Mintage of silver pieces was only 40, with two restrikes known to be made later in the decade. Plaque-style medals were also issued for 1903-1909.

 

In 1910 assay medals returned to being round, though now enlarged to 45mm in diameter through 1917, the year of the below medal. Distribution was also more tightly controlled, and mintages were typically around 25 pieces for each year. For the 1910-1917 45mm era, the 1911,12, and 14-16 were issued in silver, which are all rather rare (especially the 1915), with the bronze issues of 1910, 1913, and 1917 being not as rare, though the 1917 is the most difficult to find of these three.

 

In 1918 the size of the assay medals was further increased to 51mm. Distribution controls were also loosened in the 1920's, and so the medals become a little bit more readily available, mintages could be as high as 50 pieces throughout the decade. This 1922 medal, designed by George Morgan, is also one of the more aesthetically pleasing medals of the decade.

 

1932 was the bicentennial of George Washington's birth, which was honored in this year's assay medal. The reported mintage was 25 pieces, though this medal does not seem any more rare than other medals 1920-1934.

 

After 1934 assay medal distribution became more tightly controlled, and mintages decreased. 1936 is an extremely rare medal, as are all assay medals from 1941-1963. After 1963 medals become somewhat more available, possibly due to more numismatists being included among the commissioners. The reverse of the 1964 medal shows tools of minting and assaying, and a view of the new Kennedy half. This specific medal is the one awarded to numismatic Harry X Boosel, best known for his studies of the coinage of 1873. The diameter is not 57mm.

 

Part three to follow after the 160th post in this thread has been made.

[pendragon1998]

Chris

 

Just now finding this thread...awesome medals!

 

Chris, any chance you can post a larger image of two of the coins in that pic? First column, second from bottom (reclining figure) and third column, third from bottom (britannia?)