What a collection!!!!!!...More pictures added - 2/14

tmot99

Our very own Capt Henway (Tom at Harlan Berk in Chicago) gave me a phone call a couple months ago about a huge collection they were going to be buying. The collection consists of 15-20 boxes of stuff from all different worlds fairs as well as quite a bit of Chicago historical memorabilia. The initial intent of the phone call was for me to lend a hand identifying and valuating some of the medals (which really are only a small percentage of the collection). Tom invited me down to the shop to take a look at all the stuff, and he must have seen my eyes popping out of my head! After an hour or two rummaging through about half the collection, we had a deal in place for me to buy the entire thing. I just picked it up this morning (THANK YOU TOM!!!!!!) and have taken a look at a few of the prizes in this collection.

These few pictures represent less than 2% of the entire collection so you may see more pictures in the future. So here are just a few quick shots of some medals from the 1893 Columbian Expo and the 1876 US Centennial Expo.

The car load...


Here is a set of wood medals from the 1876 US Centennial Exposition


This is a very rare bronze "Staff Medal" from the Columbian Expo


A couple of bronze SCDs from the Columbian Expo



Award medal reproductions as advertising pieces. Also SCDs




Then a couple sets of aluminum medals from the Columbian Expo.






Do you like them small, medium, or large?


Gilt medal from the 1876 Centennial


Gilt Massonnet medal from the Columbian Expo - Came in a damaged original holder


And a couple of bronze medals from the Columbian Expo



Here is a pin from the Irish Village. Same obverse as the token that I've shown. The pin is likely coin silver while all the tokens known are white metal. The pin is also only "minted" on the obverse. Plain flat back.


This is my Irish Village token as comparison















2/14 - Update - So today I was digging through a box I hadn't quite touched yet and when I get down to the bottom, I find yet another small stash of medals. I love it when this happens. Both times this has happened with this collection, it has come up with a large E101 medal. Once bronze and now gilt. This is the 90mm version that is my avatar. Also in this little pile was an Eglit-40A in pristine condition. It appears to be in an original box. the box fits perfectly at least and I have not seen a box before so I have no idea how these were handled. Also within this collection, there is 2 bonds to the Columbian Celebration Company which bought land and built the buildings before the stocks of the Columbian Exposition were sold. So I have two $1000 bonds. But along with these, I have the receipts of payment for these bonds! Anybody know anything about scriptophily? Also some frosted glass busts from the 1876 Centennial Expo have been found. It is so much fun to go through each box. Each time I do, I find something else interesting.

E101 Gilt - Some hairlines unfortunately, but still VERY nice


Here is the E40A


And here is a hanging medal that was in one of the tray pictures that I've pulled out. The medal is known in HK in aluminum but this is white metal. First reported that I know of. Technically not a SCD because it isn't known unholed, but there was likely at least one let out without a hole.

19Lyds

Boing!

SilverEagles92

<< <i>Whats up with your pictures?

Slow to load I guess........... >>

Not showing up for me

cladking

I couldn't be more jealous than I am even without pictures.

I'll hate opening this thread later and seeing them.

JupitarCoins

Pictures are not showing up, whats up with that.

STONE

Oh, now I really want those pictures to show up after reading about this collection

tmot99

Shoot. Sorry guys. I posted this then went to dinner. I will work on pictures when I get home.

19Lyds

Wow!

TheRegulator

Meanest post of the year.

Bayard1908

Interesting to think that these items have probably been in Chicago for the last 117 years.

mkman123

ugh, started reading, got interested, scrolled down to see pictures and see nothing. What a let down.

CANT WAIT TO SEE THE PICS WHEN THE OP gets to it

Bochiman

Just FYI...I can see most of the pics
The boxes in back of the vehicle the 6 wood medals, the nekkid woman in the 1892 "staff medal" etc.
Only ones I can't see are the aluminum medals.

tmot99

Yeah, limitations of my iPhone. I got some pictures reposted

Nic

I want the elongates!

K

Walkerguy21D

I can see about two-thirds of them....I hope coinsarefun (stefanie) can see them, as she will certainly enjoy all those scarce bronze medals!
PS - any story on the collector or collectors that assembled this huge collection?

yellowkid

Here is a set of wood medals from the 1876 US Centennial Exposition


I swear I saw this set in Mount Dora Florida last month.

NotSure

As Chris Farley used to say..."HOLY SCHNIKEY!"

messydesk

Cool! What type of wood was used to make the wooden medals, and what was the manufacturing process that allowed it to work as well as it did?

astrorat

Very nice...

Yep, Tom and the folks at Harlan J. Berk are aces.

Lane

JRocco

You hit the Mother Load
Congrats and I can understand your excitement.

coindeuce

<< <i>Cool! What type of wood was used to make the wooden medals, and what was the manufacturing process that allowed it to work as well as it did? >>



The wood medals, both round and rectangular, were struck on black walnut. I do not know the process for preparing the wood blanks. They were struck using the same dies that struck metallic medals. I suspect that black walnut was used for the specific properties of the wood which made it practical to withstand the striking pressure. The relief on the obverse of the round medals with the various portraits can be as much as 5 mm., which lends itself to extremely fine details not normally expected in this medium.

ProofArtworkonCircs

Will somebody tell me (1) when Columbus day was changed from Oct 12 (Columbus' reckoning - Julian calendar) to Oct 21 (Gregorian calendar) as shown on the medal and also in almanacs of the 1890's.

And (2) when was it changed back to the 12th?

It became the second Monday of variable date in 1971.

notwilight

Wow. You realize that you're causing us to sin out here--Jealousy is number 6. -Jerry

mkman123

I SEE THE PICS!! woohoo

Tmot or anyone here, can you tell me how much that wooden coin set is worth? Thats a cool set!

coindeuce

Don't know what issue price was at the Expo, but recent auction prices for the 6 piece set in the original box have ranged in the $600-$700 level. Single pieces of the round medals appear regularly at eBay, selling for $40 and up.

cladking

<< <i>Wow. You realize that you're causing us to sin out here--Jealousy is number 6. -Jerry >>



Yeah! well with the damn pictures I know I'm going to hell.

Those are simply fantastic.

Woodward

That is so cool. Any idea where the collection originated?

tmot99

To the best of my knowledge, this collection is from the Chicago area. However, there are pieces from all expos. I've spent the better part of the evening rummaging through stuff, just to get an idea of what all is here. I've seen stuff from the 1876, 1893, 1933-1934, 1939, 1937 (? Paris), and 1962 fairs. Plus there is tons of Chicago memorabilia.

and I just found another little stash of medals hidden in another box that are really nice.

Bochiman

Capt Henway is probably pretty happy you took it all of his hands so he wouldn't be getting the hernia and headaches from all the lifting/searching/and sorting

coindeuce

<< <i>and I just found another little stash of medals hidden in another box that are really nice. >>

cmerlo1

Wow. I don't even collect that, and I'm jealous! Some beautiful pieces there!

IGWT

tydye

Wow! You must be on cloud 9. Please post more pics

jmj3esq

OMG that would be fun!

keepdachange

wow

CaptHenway

Are we having fun yet???

tmot99

<< <i>Are we having fun yet???

>>



Wow, there is a LOT of stuff in here! I didn't see half this stuff the first time through.

TwoSides2aCoin

Thanks for sharing. This is an incredible amount of stuff that you get to immerse yourself in. Looks interesting, for sure.

stinkinlincoln

WOW! Now thats some very cool stuff. Just the type of stuff that makes collecting so much fun.

DUIGUY

<< <i>

<< <i>and I just found another little stash of medals hidden in another box that are really nice. >>


>>

STONE

Kid in a candy store. Kid in a candy store. Kid in a CANDY STORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cladking

<< <i>Kid in a candy store. Kid in a candy store. Kid in a CANDY STORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >>



Every day can be like hallowean and Christmas rolled into one for a collector.

LeeG

SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ClosedLoop

WOW, those are awesome!

post some more pic's if you can....

richardshipp

Oh man..... Very Cool.

tmot99

A few more pictures added

speety

<< <i>Will somebody tell me (1) when Columbus day was changed from Oct 12 (Columbus' reckoning - Julian calendar) to Oct 21 (Gregorian calendar) as shown on the medal and also in almanacs of the 1890's.

And (2) when was it changed back to the 12th?

It became the second Monday of variable date in 1971. >>



In 1752 they simply skipped September 3 thru the 14, perhaps this has something to do with it. If not, it's at least some trivia for you It's where the term "paid leave" originates, as workers were paid for a 30 day month but worked 11 days less than normal...

CaptHenway

Different countries changed over to the Gregorian calendar in different years.

CaptHenway

<< <i>Here is a set of wood medals from the 1876 US Centennial Exposition


I swear I saw this set in Mount Dora Florida last month. >>



Nope. It was in a mail tub under my desk since November.
TD

CaptHenway

<< <i>Kid in a candy store. Kid in a candy store. Kid in a CANDY STORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >>



Candy store heck!!!!!
He was in Wonkaland!!!!!!!!!!!

tmot99

Although there are a lot of goodies in here, there is also a lot of junk. Thank goodness that my junk may be some people's treasure!