"Swiss Frog"

lordmarcovan · February 15, 2016 3:46PM

"Swiss Frog"

Pictorial love token carving on 1885-B Swiss 20-rappen coin

Larger obverse picture

Larger reverse picture

Obverse: original Liberty Head design, unaltered. Reverse: "20" numeral planed off and re-engraved with a picture of a frog, original wreath design and mintmark unaltered. Ex- "chullie" (eBay), 2/14/2015.

"Swiss Frog". Does this title remind you of an unappealing chocolate candy in a Monty Python sketch? (If you actually understood that obscure reference, congratulations. Like me, you are over the hill and have questionable comedic tastes.) I have always associated frogs with more temperate or tropical places than Switzerland, but I suppose there must be frogs there, too. In fact, I guess there must be frogs just about everywhere, except maybe the most frozen polar regions.

But why did someone painstakingly hand-engrave one on the back of this coin? Obviously it was a love token, though there are no initials or monogram on it. The hole indicates it was used in jewelry. We'll never know for sure, but perhaps the answer was, "Why not? Just... because."

Why did I feel the urge to add this strange piece to my collection? There the answer is more certain. "Why not? Just... because."

Engraved/Counterstamped/Oddball Type Set

lordmarcovan · February 15, 2016 4:00PM

Originally posted by: lordmarcovan

Does this title remind you of an unappealing chocolate candy in a Monty Python sketch? (If you actually understood that obscure reference, congratulations. Like me, you are over the hill and have questionable comedic tastes.)

Or not. Some would say you have very discerning comedic tastes. But that's up for argument.

For those of you who did not catch the reference, here you go!

(Thanks, YouTube.)

cecropiamoth · February 15, 2016 5:34PM

Agreed that a frog on a Swiss coin is a little odd. But, IMO the engraver did a heck of a nice job here. Intricate work. Couldn't have been easy with such a small surface area. Look especially at the detail in the eye, the frog's front feet and the webbing on the back foot. A stretch here, but maybe done by a herpetologist with a hobby interest of coins/engraving? A nice unique piece to own lordmarcovan.

Jeff

lordmarcovan · February 15, 2016 5:41PM

Originally posted by: cecropiamoth

Agreed that a frog on a Swiss coin is a little odd. But, IMO the engraver did a heck of a nice job here. Intricate work. Couldn't have been easy with such a small surface area. Look especially at the detail in the eye, the frog's front feet and the webbing on the back foot. A stretch here, but maybe done by a herpetologist with a hobby interest of coins/engraving? A nice unique piece to own lordmarcovan.

Jeff

Thanks. The nice engraving, coupled with the downright oddness of the thing, made it worth going after, I thought. (After all, I call this particular set my "Oddball" collection, so it's a good fit on that score.)

And maybe you're right. Note that it's a realistic frog and not a cutesy one. I've seen "cute" little frogs (usually holding umbrellas and such) on love tokens before, but this is the first fairly realistic one I've come across.

Zohar · February 15, 2016 11:31PM

Rob - just looked at your box of 20. You done great!!

WillieBoyd2 · February 15, 2016 11:54PM

Maybe the engraver was a fan of Mark Twain's "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County".

bronzemat · February 16, 2016 12:03AM

Neat find, Rob.

Broadstruck · February 16, 2016 1:39AM

That's pretty cool.... I like weird oddities

lordmarcovan · February 16, 2016 4:45PM

Originally posted by: Zohar

Rob - just looked at your box of 20. You done great!!

Thank you. Hasn't been much activity in the Box of 20 since I added the proof 3cN late last year. Nor is there likely to be any more additions there in the immediate future, due to my presently impoverished state.

However, I can still have fun with this much more budget-friendly sideline collection.

This frog love token in the OP just cost me about 26 bucks plus shipping. And really it only cost me four bucks since I had some leftover balance on a PayPal gift card.

So far this whole "Oddball" collection has given a lot of bang for the buck, and only one piece (the large cent) has cost me more than 100 bucks (and that barely so).

jdmern · February 17, 2016 12:13AM

Love the realism on the frog carving... Almost reminds me of the level of detail in some of the oddball Spielmarkes, like this frog one Here:

SYRACUSIAN · February 21, 2016 11:15PM

But why did someone painstakingly hand-engrave one on the back of this coin? Obviously it was a love token, though there are no initials or monogram on it. The hole indicates it was used in jewelry. We'll never know for sure, but perhaps the answer was, "Why not? Just... because."

Ever since the Muppet show appeared and became an instant hit, my nickname as a teen (and still to this day for the 2-3 that still remember it) was Kermit.

So maybe it was a female numismatist who did it,(Miss Piggy?

) in love with some similarly poorly nicknamed guy such as myself.

Why did I feel the urge to add this strange piece to my collection? There the answer is more certain. "Why not? Just... because."

Just shoot me a PM when you get bored of it. We gotta live with the nicknames we were given, wether we like them or not.

PS: I'd also be interested in that superb French jeton of yours, but I know that it's in your box of 20 and you'd better keep it there. If, I say, IF you ever decide to part with it, pls contact yours truly first.

"Swiss Frog"

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