Since I found out that Gorham Mfg Co. & Gorham Mint are the same I think I have a trial strike

coinsarefun

(Edited to add) scroll down halfway
I asked this question last week and @ashland was helpful in explaining that indeed they are the same......

I know Gorham has done many medals and also known for their beautiful silverware.
After searching here on the forums they also did the HTT Peacock, Bryan dollars and a few others.
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.My question is The Gotham Mint the same? Through internet research I see that The Gorham Manufacturing Company was founded in 1831 in Providence.

The end came in 1967 when Textron purchased the Gorham Manufacturing Company. Gorham ceased operating as an independent business and the new owners started reducing the quality of Gorham's traditionally high-end products in an attempt to regain marketshare, an attempt that was ultimately unsuccessful. The former Gorham, now a division, was resold to Dansk International Designs in 1989, to the Brown-Foreman Corporation in 1991, and to Department 56 in 2005.

I'm looking for something made in the 1970's a bicentennial medal set was supposedly made by Gorham mint and wondered if they are one in the same?

If so I may have something interesting to post in the next few days.
And if anyone feels like posting items manufactures and minted by them by all means that would be great!
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(New addition to original post)
So I found this piece and I'm fairly certain it is a trial strike. Its white metal, untrimmed flan, about 43mm in size, which is a pretty good size. It appears to have a high relief so its also hefty, around 30.1 grams.
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I dont think these medals were all that popular in 1976 but the mintage was 5000, according to the information I found online.
I attached a few images of the original cases they were sold in.
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Although not an expensive piece at all I thought it was pretty cool having a die trial strike from the Gorham Co. that also made the Bryan Dollars, Hard times token Peacock Jewelry merchant. Bronze plaques and statues and much more. They were one of the largest silver maker in the world.
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So below are the pics I found online of the 1976 sets offered, followed by my images of the piece.
If anyone has any additional thoughts I would love to hear it.
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asheland

As far as I understand, it was the same company from Providence, RI

coinsarefun

@asheland said:
As far as I understand, it was the same company from Providence, RI

Thanks, then I will have something kinda interesting post next week.

Smudge

Awww, tell us now pretty please.

coinsarefun

@Smudge said:
Awww, tell us now pretty please.

We shall see, maybe it will arrive in the next day or so.

RogerB

Gorham, Tiffany and others were primary high-end medal manufacturers into the 1930s. Many of the top medallic and bas relief sculptors had them produce medals. Both companies initially used drop presses for medal and flatware production, then converted to hydraulic presses.

Broadstruck

Thought you meant Gollum Mint?

asheland

I look forward to seeing the newps!

asheland

Here’s a cool piece of Gorham you may appreciate...
And, retailed out of Tiffany’s c.1870-75

coinsarefun

My thoughts might have been correct and........

Gosh this piece is beautiful

Broadstruck

That looks more like a weak strike due to the dies being misaligned than a die adjustment trial strike.

Hard to confirm anything without seeing what the quality of some of the other 4,999 sets was?

coinsarefun

@Broadstruck . This is the best I could find on the net. Maybe I should look to purchase the actual medal?
.the actual medals are silver. So why did they use a white metal planchet?

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Broadstruck

Okay even if it is a off metal trial strike which is neat it has no value as there is very limited demand in these type of sets. In 1976 every private mint was cashing in on Grandma's buying these sets for their grand kids thinking they'd be worth something one day. That being said you should only purchase this if affordable for personal enjoyment of the designs.

Timbuk3

Very nice !!!

JBK

@asheland said:
Here’s a cool piece of Gorham you may appreciate...
And, retailed out of Tiffany’s c.1870-75

Great spoon.

How do we know it is Gorham? (I only see the Tiffany mark).

The monogram might be useful for @Insider2 's research into those. I assume the letter with the extra detail is the last name.

ricko

Stef, that is an interesting set.... So, if I followed this correctly.. the set you show is silver, but the piece is white metal.... and the set is a picture from the net.... Well, it could be a trial strike, and that would be neat. However, in this day of fake pieces, I would look for more confirming evidence - and not sure that would even be available. Good luck, Cheers, RickO

JBK

Also, is Gorham still in business?

I know that all the dies etc. from Medallic Art Company just got sold off, so in theory we could be seeing new things be minted.

ldhair

This was by Gorham as well.

asheland

@JBK said:

@asheland said:
Here’s a cool piece of Gorham you may appreciate...
And, retailed out of Tiffany’s c.1870-75

Great spoon.

How do we know it is Gorham? (I only see the Tiffany mark).

The monogram might be useful for @Insider2 's research into those. I assume the letter with the extra detail is the last name.

The mark on the left (Lion Anchor G) is the Gorham trademark. Plus they patented that pattern in 1864.

asheland

As far as I know, Gorham is still in business although they are but a shadow of what they once were.

JBK

@asheland said:

@JBK said:

@asheland said:
Here’s a cool piece of Gorham you may appreciate...
And, retailed out of Tiffany’s c.1870-75

Great spoon.

How do we know it is Gorham? (I only see the Tiffany mark).

The monogram might be useful for @Insider2 's research into those. I assume the letter with the extra detail is the last name.

The mark on the left (Lion Anchor G) is the Gorham trademark. Plus they patented that pattern in 1864.

I am not disputing you at all, as you have obviously done the research, but by chance I was on the UK's official govt hallmark site recently and they explain UK hallmarks.

According to their site, the lion represents England, the anchor represents the Birmingham assay office, and the G is the year code (the exact style indicating the year as well, as the alphabet has been run through many times.).

I was on the UK site doing some research on an eBay coin that had stamps much like the spoon. I had assumed that they were British, but now I assume they are not (wish I had seen this thread a week ago!). The lion on that coin, as on the spoon, seems to face the other direction, and the anchor is upright, vs. on its side in the UK reference guide.

It would seem that Gorham chose a trademark that mimics the UK hallmarks. Very slick on their part.

That is a great spoon to combine two of the big names in American silver.

asheland

@JBK said:

@asheland said:

@JBK said:

@asheland said:
Here’s a cool piece of Gorham you may appreciate...
And, retailed out of Tiffany’s c.1870-75

Great spoon.

How do we know it is Gorham? (I only see the Tiffany mark).

The monogram might be useful for @Insider2 's research into those. I assume the letter with the extra detail is the last name.

The mark on the left (Lion Anchor G) is the Gorham trademark. Plus they patented that pattern in 1864.

I am not disputing you at all, as you have obviously done the research, but by chance I was on the UK's official govt hallmark site recently and they explain UK hallmarks.

According to their site, the lion represents England, the anchor represents the Birmingham assay office, and the G is the year code (the exact style indicating the year as well, as the alphabet has been run through many times.).

I was on the UK site doing some research on an eBay coin that had stamps much like the spoon. I had assumed that they were British, but now I assume they are not (wish I had seen this thread a week ago!). The lion on that coin, as on the spoon, seems to face the other direction, and the anchor is upright, vs. on its side in the UK reference guide.

It would seem that Gorham chose a trademark that mimics the UK hallmarks. Very slick on their part.

That is a great spoon to combine two of the big names in American silver.

Very true! Gorham specifically chose marks that look like British hallmarks, the Lion for sterling (sometimes coin silver) the Anchor for Rhode Island, and the G for Gorham.

I too liked the fact that it was retailed out of Tiffany's. This was right before Tiffany began making their own silver "in house" You'll know that by the "makers" stamp under the Tiffany mark.