A change in strategy and a new SC$.
keets
Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
As prices keep escalating in areas of the hobby where I collect, I find that my strategy for collecting changes. Currently, that means a little more study and reading, watching prices realized and sale trends and searching for areas which interest me and seem to receive scant attention. The latter is becoming more and more difficult as the rolls of collectors in this great hobby swell, but there's always something out there if we each are diligent!!
I've been intrigued by So-Called Dollars since I first stumbled onto them about 2-3 years ago. It took me awhile to get going with some sort of collection, mainly because I had no reference or another collector to guide my selections. That's changed in the past eight months, though, and the fun has started.
What I've noticed about SC$'s is that most have some type of counterpart or attachment in Numismatics, whether that's in the form of a circulating issue or a commemorative coin. Also, most have been struck by the U.S. Mint in one form or another, they generally have been sold publically at an exposition or celebration of some type and many were designed by talented artisans, some well known to us all.
Todays example is a wonderful and simple medal which celebrates the end of WWII and the American led victory in that epic struggle. It's listed by Hibler and Kappen as World War II Victory Medal---1945 and given the reference number of HK-910. Past that, the authors offer little information as to it's origin, distribution, designer or really anything else, quite unusual. They state plainly Struck by U.S. Mint, Philadelphia and the Medallic Art Co., bulk of issue was looped. The figure of Liberty is depicted breaking the sword of tyranny, with her right foot on the helmet of Mars. The rising sun casts rays of freedom behind her. The reverse is plain and speaks for itself. The obverse alone seems reminiscent of the style of design which has faded from our circulating coinage, simple yet elegant and rife with symbolism. This example is unlooped and as such, very rare.
Enjoy.
Al H.
I've been intrigued by So-Called Dollars since I first stumbled onto them about 2-3 years ago. It took me awhile to get going with some sort of collection, mainly because I had no reference or another collector to guide my selections. That's changed in the past eight months, though, and the fun has started.
What I've noticed about SC$'s is that most have some type of counterpart or attachment in Numismatics, whether that's in the form of a circulating issue or a commemorative coin. Also, most have been struck by the U.S. Mint in one form or another, they generally have been sold publically at an exposition or celebration of some type and many were designed by talented artisans, some well known to us all.
Todays example is a wonderful and simple medal which celebrates the end of WWII and the American led victory in that epic struggle. It's listed by Hibler and Kappen as World War II Victory Medal---1945 and given the reference number of HK-910. Past that, the authors offer little information as to it's origin, distribution, designer or really anything else, quite unusual. They state plainly Struck by U.S. Mint, Philadelphia and the Medallic Art Co., bulk of issue was looped. The figure of Liberty is depicted breaking the sword of tyranny, with her right foot on the helmet of Mars. The rising sun casts rays of freedom behind her. The reverse is plain and speaks for itself. The obverse alone seems reminiscent of the style of design which has faded from our circulating coinage, simple yet elegant and rife with symbolism. This example is unlooped and as such, very rare.
Enjoy.
Al H.
0
Comments
I want one.
nice find al
We'll use our hands and hearts and if we must we'll use our heads.
Hibler and Kappen catalogued well over one-thousand, but that includes multiple listings for the same design in various alloys. the earliest is the 1826 Erie Canal completion and the last is somewhere around 1960-1962 as they were completing their reference. every now and then i'll hear talk of some new book, but nothing past hopeful speculation as yet.
with so many medals to collect/ choose from, i made a conscious choice what to collect early on. i tend toward monetary issues from the late 1800's through the 1930's, stuff tied to Lewis and Clark and other commems, designs i know were either struck at the U.S. Mint/designed by well known artists, or have that classic look. the HK rarity estimates are very helpful, also. some issues are so rare that any grade ois perhaps the only that might be found for quite some time, if ever.
since i picked up the reference, i've discovered that much of what i saw in showcases and passed over as "junk" now has renewed collectibility!!!
al h.
There are lots of medals that are extremely interesting and not listed by Hibler-Kappen.
they admit in the preface that ther are many medals which collectors might wonder about being excluded, but they explain their criteria for inclusion. some, such as store cards and trade tokens are designated in other references. they also limit by size and wisely precluded the listing of political, school, athletic, coin clubs and armed forces items, though some dual-subject medals are listed.
al h.
We'll use our hands and hearts and if we must we'll use our heads.
Here's my latest addition:
LINK
Forbid it, Almighty God!
I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!
~PATRICK HENRY~
what a fantastic medal!!!! i have that seller on my watchlist and tend towards Jefferson medals, also. that is a great rendition of him.
al h.