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Ever seen one of these?

I think it's pretty darned cool. It's just a little smaller than a US quarter and a little slimmer as well. Weighs a bit over 3g. From what I can gather, this fine fellow was one of the most famous performers in the Russian circus scene. It appears that he also thought quite a bit of himself as the reverse legend reads "PREMIER CLOWN RUSSE" and he apparently handed them out himself. This one has quite a lot of wear on it, so I am led to believe that uncirculated examples must have phenomenal detail.

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"YOU SUCK!" Awarded by nankraut/renomedphys 6/13/13 - MadMarty dissents

Comments

  • marcmoishmarcmoish Posts: 6,209 ✭✭✭✭✭
    what da heck is that??

    It has to have been an item of circulation as it did not get that circulated in someones pocket - is this a circus piece or something?
  • WillieBoyd2WillieBoyd2 Posts: 5,034 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have had this similar token since the 1960's when I was going to coin shows
    and buying things out of US dealers' foreign coin boxes.

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    France Token Mengin
    Size: 24mm
    Weight: 3.43gm
    Metal: Brass

    Mengin lived in Paris where he was a street entertainer in the mid 1800's.
    He dressed as a Roman soldier and sold special pencils while performing magic tricks.
    He is mentioned in several books of the period.

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    https://www.brianrxm.com
    The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
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  • That's pretty cool, too! Man, maybe I should get medals struck with my face on them to hand out as business cards? Apparently, that was once the thing to do.
    "YOU SUCK!" Awarded by nankraut/renomedphys 6/13/13 - MadMarty dissents
  • marcmoish, I haven't been able to track down (just yet) the intended purpose of this medal or whether it was generally accepted in trade for something.
    "YOU SUCK!" Awarded by nankraut/renomedphys 6/13/13 - MadMarty dissents
  • CocoinutCocoinut Posts: 2,505 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Interesting. I did a quick search and came up with these bits of information.

    Here's another one that was offered for sale recently for 60 euros. Link.

    Translation of the notes below the jeton: "Anatoli Durow was born in 1864 and was clown and trainer with the Circus of Moscow."

    Here's a link to an 1894 poster that mentions Durow. I haven't had any success in translating it.

    Jim
    Countdown to completion of my Mercury Set: 2 coins. My growing Lincoln Set: Finally completed!
  • brg5658brg5658 Posts: 2,384 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>
    Here's a link to an 1894 poster that mentions Durow. I haven't had any success in translating it.

    Jim >>



    That poster is in Finnish. The text description below as translated by Google says:

    Anatole Durow (1864-1916) was a Russian clown and animal trainer. He was a visiting Helsinki Cirkus M. Truzzin troupe. Some of the circus visited Turku few artists 02/09/1894. This Grand Franco-Russe-Troupe, Halonen was a poster of the balance between artists, acrobats, athlete, or a circus strongman and a large ballet company.

    Entourage star, however, was Anatole Durow. She was in Russia and elsewhere in Europe as a celebrity. Durow had created their own clown character that was personal, and different from, and the humor was based on the satirical text. His eläinvalikoimansa was extensive. It consisted of rats, cats, dogs, pigs, wild boar, fox, roosters, etc. The calf, kid and lamb were not included in the troupe's visit to Finland. Durow was precisely the peculiar small animal trainer. He appeared in an elegant clown in white, elaborately, and certainly captivating. Durowin legendary number was Sven Hirn according to the book "rats rail travel." Performers were well over a hundred, and they work not only to model railway passengers, including conductors, drivers, drive, etc. Agents

    Turku troupe performed at the House of the fire brigade, which was the theater of the building in addition to the popular Location Turku, Finland. Of the advertisement, the performances were only two. The picture is of Turku Provincial Museum commissioned a postcard.
    -Brandon
    -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
    My sets: [280+ horse coins] :: [France Sowers] :: [Colorful world copper] :: [Beautiful world coins]
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  • WillieBoyd2WillieBoyd2 Posts: 5,034 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 12, 2017 1:09PM
    Entertainers sometimes handed these items out.

    From "Stars and Stripes" magazine, August 28, 1954:


    << <i>
    'Hoppy' charms German fans on Frankfurt arrival

    Cowboy star Bill Boyd gives a souvenir coin to a young fan at the Frankfurt airport in 1954.

    Wearing a white sombrero, cowboy boots and handing out lucky coins,
    William Boyd, better known to thousands of American kids as "Hopalong Cassidy",
    arrived at Frankfurt Airport tonight and immediately turned his charm on a German audience.
    >>


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    Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd) aluminum coin
    Size: 30mm
    Metal: Aluminum

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    Coins in Movies
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  • LochNESSLochNESS Posts: 4,829 ✭✭✭
    Lots of the big dealers and collectors today use coins instead of business cards. I still have the token that Kagin handed out when he first ran for ANA governor. Mine is gold coloured but here's a link to an Al version: Kagin token
    ANA LM • WBCC 429

    Amat Colligendo Focum

    Top 10FOR SALE

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