what is this?

Monstavet

Just curious...am not familiar with this item...

ldhair

I believe it's a US mint medal.

FatMan

<< <i>I believe it's a US mint medal. >>

ldhair

After a second look. Mall?
Hall sounds normal???

Pistareen

When I was growing up in the Philadelphia area (ca. 1980s), they had a large old coining press -- perhaps an old silver dollar press -- set up near the gift shop behind glass. You'd pay $1, press a button and, voila!, the specimen of that souvenir medal that you just struck. That bag perhaps indicates that it was sold at the Independence Mall gift shop or something -- it's only a short walk from the modern Mint.

I suspect there are thousands of them around, but I don't know if they sold them anywhere but actually in Philadelphia.

MrSpud

Didn't coin world have an article about that medal a little while back? The reverse of the coin has replicas of key date coins for many series on it.

MrSpud

Why that's a United States Mint Bicentennial Bronze Medal.

Here it is

Conder101

Independance Mall was the area across the street from Independance Hall including the building they moved the Liberty Bell to during the Bicentennial.

Tootawl

<< <i>When I was growing up in the Philadelphia area (ca. 1980s), they had a large old coining press -- perhaps an old silver dollar press -- set up near the gift shop behind glass. You'd pay $1, press a button and, voila!, the specimen of that souvenir medal that you just struck. That bag perhaps indicates that it was sold at the Independence Mall gift shop or something -- it's only a short walk from the modern Mint.

I suspect there are thousands of them around, but I don't know if they sold them anywhere but actually in Philadelphia. >>



Since it is in a plastic bag and not in a box, I'd agree that it came from the gift shop at the Philly Mint and not from the Web Site. I got mine at the Philly Mint gift shop. You purchased a planchet (i.e. blank) from the cashier and took it to the coin press. An employee sets the coin into the press and you get to hit the button that makes the magic happen.