FSH: Assorted items (mostly tokens/medals, some better pieces) (lots of pics)
jonathanb
Posts: 3,657 ✭✭✭✭✭
I've been saving stuff up for the next 10c listing day on eBay, but it occurs to me that I might as well list them here and see if there is any interest. If nothing else, it gets the descriptions written so that I can copy-and-paste them to eBay later.
This is a fairly eclectic grouping, so be sure to scroll through even if the first few don't strike your eye.
All prices include my choice of shipping within the US, probably first class for the cheaper stuff and Priority Mail for the expensive stuff.
I'm always happy to answer questions.
1860 Chauncy Hall School Third Silver Medal
This is a large but thin silver medal (44 mm, 8 g) with a diagonally reeded edge. It was awarded by the Chauncy Hall School to Augs (Augustus?) B. Bradstreet on December 31, 1860. The Chauncy Hall School still exists, and is now located in Waltham, MA. According to its web site: "Chauncy Hall was founded in 1828 by Gideon Thayer on what is now the site of Macy’s in Boston’s Downtown Crossing. The school originally trained the children of wealthy Bostonians for careers in business, and later prepared students to attend Harvard, MIT and other prestigious colleges. Chauncy Hall was known for its many innovations in education, including using literature for reading lessons, and implementing a department system to recognize teachers who were 'gifted and accomplished in different directions'. The school thrived in the mid-1800s under Thayer, who was also an advocate for better education nationwide. Chauncy Hall became a model for many new institutions."
$400
1863 Boston Schools US Mint Medal Julian SC-11 awarded
A 33 mm silver award medal for the Boston (MA) Schools, engraved by Francis N. Mitchell and struck at the United States Mint through the middle part of the 19th century. This particular piece is looped for wearing, as is common, and was awarded to George E. Lord in the Civil War year of 1863. The obverse has a bust of Benjamin Franklin facing left, surrounded by text THE GIFT OF / FRANKLIN / MDCCXC. This medal is cataloged as Julian SC-11 in R.W. Julian's Medals of the United States Mint. There are some signs of old cleaning, again as is common for these medals, but the medal has not suffered much.
SOLD
Harvard Insititue of 1770 medal awarded
The Institute of 1770 was lecture, debate, and literary society at Harvard University. Its members included Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Henry David Thoreau. The institute merged with the Hasty Pudding Club in 1925, and still exists in that form today. This medal was awarded to J.B. Russell '07.
This is listed as Storer 920, where it is listed as tin, but it sure looks silver to me. It weighs about 41 grams. The full listing in Storer is as follows:
Institute of 1770.
Ob. HAEC STUDIA ADOLESCENTIAM ALUNT. Caduceus and scroll on book. Below, INSTITUTE / OF / * 1770 *
Rx. Hanging from two columns the shield of Harvard with tablets above and below for name and class. 42 mm. Tin.
$250
Harvard Speakers Club medal awarded
I can't find much about the Speakers Club at Harvard University except that it appears to have merged with Pi Eta at some point to become the Pi Eta Speakers Club, and that it was closed in 1991. This medal was awarded to RS Benner Jr, '39 and is stamped on the reverse STERLING / WOOD & SONS BOSTON
A version of this medal is listed as Storer 944, although this one is circular where the one in Storer has a slightly wavy edge. The full listing in Storer is as follows:
Speakers Club.
Ob. A gavel dividing 19 07 Below shield of Harvard with, below it, a ribbon on which PRO BONO UNIVERSITATIS
Rx. THE / SPEAKERS CLVB / HARVARD / VNIVERSITY Field vacant. Below, two crossed laurels. 40 mm. Irregular. Silver
$90
Harvard 1936 tercentennial official silver medal
A silver medal (diameter 28 mm), the official medal produced by the Medallic Art Co. in celebration of Harvard University's 300th anniversary in 1936. It comes with its original yellow suspension ribbon and original box.
On the obverse, the Harvard shield is surrounded by a wreath. Around the edge is the lettering: ANNO ACADEMIAE HARVARDIANAE TRECENTESIMO MDCCCCXXXVI.
On the reverse is a quotation from Governor William Bradford's History of Plimmoth Plantation: 1636 - 1936 / OUT OF SMALLE / BEGINNINGS GREAT / ER THINGS HAVE / BEEN PRODUSED BY HIS / HAND THAT MADE ALL / THINGS OF NOTHING / AND GIVES BEING / TO ALL THINGS / THAT ARE
SOLD
Harvard 1936 tercentennial official large bronze medal
This is a very large bronze medal (diameter 3 1/4 inches), the official medal produced by the Medallic Art Co. in celebration of Harvard University's 300th anniversary in 1936.
On the obverse, the Harvard shield is surrounded by a wreath. Around the edge is the lettering: ANNO ACADEMIAE HARVARDIANAE TRECENTESIMO MDCCCCXXXVI.
On the reverse is a quotation from Governor William Bradford's History of Plimmoth Plantation: 1636 - 1936 / OUT OF SMALLE / BEGINNINGS GREAT / ER THINGS HAVE / BEEN PRODUSED BY HIS / HAND THAT MADE ALL / THINGS OF NOTHING / AND GIVES BEING / TO ALL THINGS / THAT ARE
There are some scratches on the reverse in the area of "AND GIVES" and "TO ALL" near the bottom left.
SOLD
1900 Paris Exposition medal by Dupuis, in silver
A 32 mm French medal designed by Daniel Dupuis and struck the year after his death in commemoration of the Universal Exposition of 1900 in Paris.
The obverse shows the head of Ceres facing left with the signature of Daniel Dupuis. The reverse bears the inscription SOUVENIR DE L'EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE DE 1900 with a cornucopia and the word ARGENT near the edge.
The bronze version of this medal is much more common than this silver version.
$60
1930 Massachusetts Tercentenary 85x49mm bronze plaque
A large (85 x 49 mm) bronze plaque created in celebration of the Tercentenary of Massachusetts in 1930. It really is rectangular, despite my photograph that seems to distort it a bit at the corners.
This plaque shows Governor John Winthrop in the center of the obverse, with an Indian on the left and three ships on the right. Below the scene it says Massachusetts Bay Colony / 1630 * Tercentenary * 1930. The reverse shows the old and new State Houses plus the state seal and the following text:
PRESENTED BY HIS EXCELLENCY FRANK G. ALLEN
GOVERNOR OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS IN
OBSERVANCE OF THE THREE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE FOUNDING OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY
AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT THROUGH
THE TRANSFER OF THE ROYAL CHARGER FRON ENGLAND
The edge is marked ROBBINS CO. / ATTLEBORO.
There were lots of small tokens/medals struck in honor of the Massachusetts Tercentenary, but large plaques such as this one are much rarer.
$60
1837 Hard Times HT-48 L-33 Liberty/Not One Cent
Nice details, but I'm not entirely happy with the color (which should be accurate in the picture). I worry that this may have been cleaned at some time. There are three small carbon spots on the obverse as visible in the picture, the largest nestled within the curl at the nape of Liberty's neck.
$35
OLW Religion token
I don't know what this 22mm medal is, and I'm not having much luck doing research. I'll sell it as an 'unknown' for the price listed, but if someone who doesn't want to buy it has an idea for identification, I'd love to hear. The obverse appears to have the letters OLW in a cartouche on a hexagon, with two facets of the hexagon bearing the date JUNE 1921. The reverse is engraved RELIGION / Ede MARTINII. There are two stamps on the back of the reverse. One of them says "[something I can't read] / NEW YORK", the other says "X GOLD". Weight is about 5.8 g.
$50
Genie Swastika Good Luck Coin
A good luck token featuring a genie/fortune teller peering into a crystal ball bearing a swastika -- this obviously dates to earlier than World War II. This isn't actually a Nazi swastika, since it is not rotated 45 degrees. Rather, it is the older symbol meaning "Good Luck" (the word "swastika" comes from the Sanskrit "su asti" meaning "to be well"). On the bottom of the obverse it reads GOOD LUCK WILL ACCOMANY BEARER. The reverse shows THE ALL SEEING EYE / GUARDS YOU FROM EVIL surrounded by an array of good luck symbols: another swastika, a heart-shaped lock and key, a four-leaf clover, an elephant pendant, a horseshoe, a rabbit's foot (I think, or maybe a feather), and a wishbone. I understand that these were distributed at the 1933 World's Fair.
$35
Great White Fleet departure medal Barber/Morgan
A large medal/plaque (63 x 80 mm) commemorating the launch of the Great White Fleet in 1907. The Fleet was a collection of 16 ships that sailed around the world from 1907 to 1909, basically a promotional tour that emphasized American military strength. The Roosevelt side was designed by Charles Barber (signed near bottom right), while the fleet side was designed by George Morgan (signed at lower left).
I imagine the streaks are signs of an old cleaning. The surface isn't scratched, just colored funny, tho. I kinda like it, but I agree that it probably shouldn't be that way.
$175
ND 90% silver $1 blank planchet type II
In the interest of accuracy, yes, that's a fingerprint on the right-side image. And I agree that those look like rim dings, but I can't get a good luck at them in the holder (and I didn't think that NGC would slab something with rim dings, so who knows). Still a really rare piece.
$1,000
1936 Vimy Ridge Memorial Medal
50 mm thick bronze medal commemorating the war memorial.
Obverse bears the date 26-VII-1936 with a weeping figure flanked by the text CANADA and FRANCE while standing on a pedestal labeled VIMY. Text above the pedestal reads PELERINAGE CANADIEN on left and CANADIAN PILGRIMAGE on right. Incuse text above that is difficult to read but appears to say A DE POSSESSE on left and SCULPT / WALTER'SALLWARD.
Reverse bears the text CANADIAN WAR MEMORIAL ON VIMY RIDGE across top, wih Latin text IN MEMORIAM SEXAGINTO MILLIUM CADADIENSIUM / QUI ANNO DOMINI MCMXIV-MCMXVIII ARMIS / VITRA MARE VITAM PRO PATRIA / VITRO DEDIDERUNT. Incuse text below monument appears to read W.SALLWARD Scul. Plot. Acc.
Edge of medal is marked by a cornucopia followed by the word BRONZE. I think that means that this was struck at the Paris mint.
Medal is somewhat dusty but otherwise in decent condition. I can't find ay listing for this medal, which suggests that it's either very rare or very common. I'll sell it for the price listed, but if someone who doesn't want to buy it has an idea for identification, I'd love to hear.
$200
1940 Lincoln cent in bottle
When was the last time you saw a penny-in-the-bottle where the penny was a 1940 Lincoln cent? Cent has some hints of red in protected areas, but is basically brown.
SOLD
Misc odds and ends
I'm pretty sure these aren't worth much, so I don't want to write descriptions. Available for $6 each if anyone wants them.
$6
This is a fairly eclectic grouping, so be sure to scroll through even if the first few don't strike your eye.
All prices include my choice of shipping within the US, probably first class for the cheaper stuff and Priority Mail for the expensive stuff.
I'm always happy to answer questions.
1860 Chauncy Hall School Third Silver Medal
This is a large but thin silver medal (44 mm, 8 g) with a diagonally reeded edge. It was awarded by the Chauncy Hall School to Augs (Augustus?) B. Bradstreet on December 31, 1860. The Chauncy Hall School still exists, and is now located in Waltham, MA. According to its web site: "Chauncy Hall was founded in 1828 by Gideon Thayer on what is now the site of Macy’s in Boston’s Downtown Crossing. The school originally trained the children of wealthy Bostonians for careers in business, and later prepared students to attend Harvard, MIT and other prestigious colleges. Chauncy Hall was known for its many innovations in education, including using literature for reading lessons, and implementing a department system to recognize teachers who were 'gifted and accomplished in different directions'. The school thrived in the mid-1800s under Thayer, who was also an advocate for better education nationwide. Chauncy Hall became a model for many new institutions."
$400
1863 Boston Schools US Mint Medal Julian SC-11 awarded
A 33 mm silver award medal for the Boston (MA) Schools, engraved by Francis N. Mitchell and struck at the United States Mint through the middle part of the 19th century. This particular piece is looped for wearing, as is common, and was awarded to George E. Lord in the Civil War year of 1863. The obverse has a bust of Benjamin Franklin facing left, surrounded by text THE GIFT OF / FRANKLIN / MDCCXC. This medal is cataloged as Julian SC-11 in R.W. Julian's Medals of the United States Mint. There are some signs of old cleaning, again as is common for these medals, but the medal has not suffered much.
SOLD
Harvard Insititue of 1770 medal awarded
The Institute of 1770 was lecture, debate, and literary society at Harvard University. Its members included Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Henry David Thoreau. The institute merged with the Hasty Pudding Club in 1925, and still exists in that form today. This medal was awarded to J.B. Russell '07.
This is listed as Storer 920, where it is listed as tin, but it sure looks silver to me. It weighs about 41 grams. The full listing in Storer is as follows:
Institute of 1770.
Ob. HAEC STUDIA ADOLESCENTIAM ALUNT. Caduceus and scroll on book. Below, INSTITUTE / OF / * 1770 *
Rx. Hanging from two columns the shield of Harvard with tablets above and below for name and class. 42 mm. Tin.
$250
Harvard Speakers Club medal awarded
I can't find much about the Speakers Club at Harvard University except that it appears to have merged with Pi Eta at some point to become the Pi Eta Speakers Club, and that it was closed in 1991. This medal was awarded to RS Benner Jr, '39 and is stamped on the reverse STERLING / WOOD & SONS BOSTON
A version of this medal is listed as Storer 944, although this one is circular where the one in Storer has a slightly wavy edge. The full listing in Storer is as follows:
Speakers Club.
Ob. A gavel dividing 19 07 Below shield of Harvard with, below it, a ribbon on which PRO BONO UNIVERSITATIS
Rx. THE / SPEAKERS CLVB / HARVARD / VNIVERSITY Field vacant. Below, two crossed laurels. 40 mm. Irregular. Silver
$90
Harvard 1936 tercentennial official silver medal
A silver medal (diameter 28 mm), the official medal produced by the Medallic Art Co. in celebration of Harvard University's 300th anniversary in 1936. It comes with its original yellow suspension ribbon and original box.
On the obverse, the Harvard shield is surrounded by a wreath. Around the edge is the lettering: ANNO ACADEMIAE HARVARDIANAE TRECENTESIMO MDCCCCXXXVI.
On the reverse is a quotation from Governor William Bradford's History of Plimmoth Plantation: 1636 - 1936 / OUT OF SMALLE / BEGINNINGS GREAT / ER THINGS HAVE / BEEN PRODUSED BY HIS / HAND THAT MADE ALL / THINGS OF NOTHING / AND GIVES BEING / TO ALL THINGS / THAT ARE
SOLD
Harvard 1936 tercentennial official large bronze medal
This is a very large bronze medal (diameter 3 1/4 inches), the official medal produced by the Medallic Art Co. in celebration of Harvard University's 300th anniversary in 1936.
On the obverse, the Harvard shield is surrounded by a wreath. Around the edge is the lettering: ANNO ACADEMIAE HARVARDIANAE TRECENTESIMO MDCCCCXXXVI.
On the reverse is a quotation from Governor William Bradford's History of Plimmoth Plantation: 1636 - 1936 / OUT OF SMALLE / BEGINNINGS GREAT / ER THINGS HAVE / BEEN PRODUSED BY HIS / HAND THAT MADE ALL / THINGS OF NOTHING / AND GIVES BEING / TO ALL THINGS / THAT ARE
There are some scratches on the reverse in the area of "AND GIVES" and "TO ALL" near the bottom left.
SOLD
1900 Paris Exposition medal by Dupuis, in silver
A 32 mm French medal designed by Daniel Dupuis and struck the year after his death in commemoration of the Universal Exposition of 1900 in Paris.
The obverse shows the head of Ceres facing left with the signature of Daniel Dupuis. The reverse bears the inscription SOUVENIR DE L'EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE DE 1900 with a cornucopia and the word ARGENT near the edge.
The bronze version of this medal is much more common than this silver version.
$60
1930 Massachusetts Tercentenary 85x49mm bronze plaque
A large (85 x 49 mm) bronze plaque created in celebration of the Tercentenary of Massachusetts in 1930. It really is rectangular, despite my photograph that seems to distort it a bit at the corners.
This plaque shows Governor John Winthrop in the center of the obverse, with an Indian on the left and three ships on the right. Below the scene it says Massachusetts Bay Colony / 1630 * Tercentenary * 1930. The reverse shows the old and new State Houses plus the state seal and the following text:
PRESENTED BY HIS EXCELLENCY FRANK G. ALLEN
GOVERNOR OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS IN
OBSERVANCE OF THE THREE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE FOUNDING OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY
AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT THROUGH
THE TRANSFER OF THE ROYAL CHARGER FRON ENGLAND
The edge is marked ROBBINS CO. / ATTLEBORO.
There were lots of small tokens/medals struck in honor of the Massachusetts Tercentenary, but large plaques such as this one are much rarer.
$60
1837 Hard Times HT-48 L-33 Liberty/Not One Cent
Nice details, but I'm not entirely happy with the color (which should be accurate in the picture). I worry that this may have been cleaned at some time. There are three small carbon spots on the obverse as visible in the picture, the largest nestled within the curl at the nape of Liberty's neck.
$35
OLW Religion token
I don't know what this 22mm medal is, and I'm not having much luck doing research. I'll sell it as an 'unknown' for the price listed, but if someone who doesn't want to buy it has an idea for identification, I'd love to hear. The obverse appears to have the letters OLW in a cartouche on a hexagon, with two facets of the hexagon bearing the date JUNE 1921. The reverse is engraved RELIGION / Ede MARTINII. There are two stamps on the back of the reverse. One of them says "[something I can't read] / NEW YORK", the other says "X GOLD". Weight is about 5.8 g.
$50
Genie Swastika Good Luck Coin
A good luck token featuring a genie/fortune teller peering into a crystal ball bearing a swastika -- this obviously dates to earlier than World War II. This isn't actually a Nazi swastika, since it is not rotated 45 degrees. Rather, it is the older symbol meaning "Good Luck" (the word "swastika" comes from the Sanskrit "su asti" meaning "to be well"). On the bottom of the obverse it reads GOOD LUCK WILL ACCOMANY BEARER. The reverse shows THE ALL SEEING EYE / GUARDS YOU FROM EVIL surrounded by an array of good luck symbols: another swastika, a heart-shaped lock and key, a four-leaf clover, an elephant pendant, a horseshoe, a rabbit's foot (I think, or maybe a feather), and a wishbone. I understand that these were distributed at the 1933 World's Fair.
$35
Great White Fleet departure medal Barber/Morgan
A large medal/plaque (63 x 80 mm) commemorating the launch of the Great White Fleet in 1907. The Fleet was a collection of 16 ships that sailed around the world from 1907 to 1909, basically a promotional tour that emphasized American military strength. The Roosevelt side was designed by Charles Barber (signed near bottom right), while the fleet side was designed by George Morgan (signed at lower left).
I imagine the streaks are signs of an old cleaning. The surface isn't scratched, just colored funny, tho. I kinda like it, but I agree that it probably shouldn't be that way.
$175
ND 90% silver $1 blank planchet type II
In the interest of accuracy, yes, that's a fingerprint on the right-side image. And I agree that those look like rim dings, but I can't get a good luck at them in the holder (and I didn't think that NGC would slab something with rim dings, so who knows). Still a really rare piece.
$1,000
1936 Vimy Ridge Memorial Medal
50 mm thick bronze medal commemorating the war memorial.
Obverse bears the date 26-VII-1936 with a weeping figure flanked by the text CANADA and FRANCE while standing on a pedestal labeled VIMY. Text above the pedestal reads PELERINAGE CANADIEN on left and CANADIAN PILGRIMAGE on right. Incuse text above that is difficult to read but appears to say A DE POSSESSE on left and SCULPT / WALTER'SALLWARD.
Reverse bears the text CANADIAN WAR MEMORIAL ON VIMY RIDGE across top, wih Latin text IN MEMORIAM SEXAGINTO MILLIUM CADADIENSIUM / QUI ANNO DOMINI MCMXIV-MCMXVIII ARMIS / VITRA MARE VITAM PRO PATRIA / VITRO DEDIDERUNT. Incuse text below monument appears to read W.SALLWARD Scul. Plot. Acc.
Edge of medal is marked by a cornucopia followed by the word BRONZE. I think that means that this was struck at the Paris mint.
Medal is somewhat dusty but otherwise in decent condition. I can't find ay listing for this medal, which suggests that it's either very rare or very common. I'll sell it for the price listed, but if someone who doesn't want to buy it has an idea for identification, I'd love to hear.
$200
1940 Lincoln cent in bottle
When was the last time you saw a penny-in-the-bottle where the penny was a 1940 Lincoln cent? Cent has some hints of red in protected areas, but is basically brown.
SOLD
Misc odds and ends
I'm pretty sure these aren't worth much, so I don't want to write descriptions. Available for $6 each if anyone wants them.
$6
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