Exonumia help: who can assist with dating/evaluating an old Masonic Lodge penny?
lordmarcovan
Posts: 43,592 ✭✭✭✭✭
OK, I have one of those old Masonic Lodge Pennies with the Keystone on one side (about the diameter of a British large penny, but thicker). I've done a little research but could use a little help if there is an exonumist out there who can chime in...
First, a general description (I brought the thing to work with me and have no scan, sorry).
Grade: red and brown Uncirculated, mostly red. Might be a slider, but if so, it's a nice one- and this looks like a 19th century piece to me, judging from the style, the lettering, and the denticulation. Of course, I don't know that, but I had two similar pieces in the past that were heavily worn (and one of those hand a name hand-engraved in fancy 19th century script- probably a pocket piece). I am guessing this one to be a late 19th century item. The edge is plain.
OBVERSE: Keystone symbol with chisel at left and mallet or hammer (looks like a gavel) at right.
Inscription (in circle, on keystone): H.T.W.S.S.T.K.S.
I read that this stands for "Hiram The Widow's Son Sent To King Solomon", though what this signifies I have no idea.
REVERSE: ONE PENNY at center, surrounded by two circles of text.
(text at top half of outer circle):
DARIUS CHAPTER NO.16, R.A.M.
(text at bottom half of outer circle):
LITCHFIELD, CONN.
(text at top half of inner circle):
CHARTERED
(text at bottom half of inner circle):
OCTOBER 19TH, A.L. 5815.
OK, so here's what I have gathered so far (correct me if I am wrong on any of it):
1. There was (or is) a Darius Chapter Number 16 of the Royal Arch Masons, York Rite (that's what the R.A.M. stands for), in Litchfield, Connecticut.
2. It was chartered on October 19th, Anno Lucis 5815. I have learned that the A.L. stands for Anno Lucis, the year of Masonry, and "Anno Lucis" is "Year of Light" in Latin. From what I read, the Anno Lucis was supposed to be the number of years since the beginning of time, according to some old source. The Anno Lucis date roughly corresponds to the Anno Domini (A.D.) date plus 4,000 years. So this Masonic chapter would have been chartered around October 19th, 1815 A.D. (?)
But that still doesn't tell me when the penny itself was made, even though it might lend some credence to my theory that it is a 19th century item. Its appearance is a bit too "modern" for it to have been made in 1815 or thereabouts, though- looks more 1890's, maybe even 1900 vintage.
Anybody have any ideas? Or interest in buying the penny? I found it in a bulk lot, so it didn't cost me much. I've seen other old Lodge pennies like this sell for around a dollar, but this one is by far the nicest I have encountered, with subdued red mint color. Make me an offer if you want it. I certainly don't expect it's worth a fortune, but I found it an interesting enigma, and I'm glad I sat down to do some web research- at the very least, I learned what that "H.T.W.S.S.T.K.S." so commonly seen on them stands for.
PS- on the Darius Chapter name, I think there was someone with the name Darius amongst the early settlers of Litchfield, or something like that (stumbled across a genealogy page- it might be coincidental or totally unrelated).
First, a general description (I brought the thing to work with me and have no scan, sorry).
Grade: red and brown Uncirculated, mostly red. Might be a slider, but if so, it's a nice one- and this looks like a 19th century piece to me, judging from the style, the lettering, and the denticulation. Of course, I don't know that, but I had two similar pieces in the past that were heavily worn (and one of those hand a name hand-engraved in fancy 19th century script- probably a pocket piece). I am guessing this one to be a late 19th century item. The edge is plain.
OBVERSE: Keystone symbol with chisel at left and mallet or hammer (looks like a gavel) at right.
Inscription (in circle, on keystone): H.T.W.S.S.T.K.S.
I read that this stands for "Hiram The Widow's Son Sent To King Solomon", though what this signifies I have no idea.
REVERSE: ONE PENNY at center, surrounded by two circles of text.
(text at top half of outer circle):
DARIUS CHAPTER NO.16, R.A.M.
(text at bottom half of outer circle):
LITCHFIELD, CONN.
(text at top half of inner circle):
CHARTERED
(text at bottom half of inner circle):
OCTOBER 19TH, A.L. 5815.
OK, so here's what I have gathered so far (correct me if I am wrong on any of it):
1. There was (or is) a Darius Chapter Number 16 of the Royal Arch Masons, York Rite (that's what the R.A.M. stands for), in Litchfield, Connecticut.
2. It was chartered on October 19th, Anno Lucis 5815. I have learned that the A.L. stands for Anno Lucis, the year of Masonry, and "Anno Lucis" is "Year of Light" in Latin. From what I read, the Anno Lucis was supposed to be the number of years since the beginning of time, according to some old source. The Anno Lucis date roughly corresponds to the Anno Domini (A.D.) date plus 4,000 years. So this Masonic chapter would have been chartered around October 19th, 1815 A.D. (?)
But that still doesn't tell me when the penny itself was made, even though it might lend some credence to my theory that it is a 19th century item. Its appearance is a bit too "modern" for it to have been made in 1815 or thereabouts, though- looks more 1890's, maybe even 1900 vintage.
Anybody have any ideas? Or interest in buying the penny? I found it in a bulk lot, so it didn't cost me much. I've seen other old Lodge pennies like this sell for around a dollar, but this one is by far the nicest I have encountered, with subdued red mint color. Make me an offer if you want it. I certainly don't expect it's worth a fortune, but I found it an interesting enigma, and I'm glad I sat down to do some web research- at the very least, I learned what that "H.T.W.S.S.T.K.S." so commonly seen on them stands for.
PS- on the Darius Chapter name, I think there was someone with the name Darius amongst the early settlers of Litchfield, or something like that (stumbled across a genealogy page- it might be coincidental or totally unrelated).
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