Abraham Lincoln Bronze Medal 1 5/16 Inch from the Mint - and the REAL ONE

TopographicOceans

It actually looks pretty cool for $7.00
Maybe worth throwing in your cart if you're ordering something else from the Mint.

MedalCollector

The actual medals look nothing like the mint's photo. They're not high relief and they have an as-struck surface finish, rather than the strange, likely, sandblasted finish in the photo. That picture is more representative of the 3 inch version.

Also, the 1 5/16 inch version has had a makeover. The obverse design is now much sharper. No changes have been made to the reverse that I can tell.

BillJones

This medal is a modern copy of a piece the mint sold starting in the second quarter of 1886. Many collectors think that this piece among the most attractive medals the Philadelphia mint issued. It is on the flyleaf of Medals of the United States Mint, the First Century 1792 - 1892 by Julian.

You can't get much $7 these days so at that price it's okay, but the modern version can't compare with what the mint issued in the 19th century.

TopographicOceans

I didn't know this is a modern copy and I sort of envisioned it as being high relief.

But Bill's 1886 original one is awesome. Thanks for posting it.

Davideo

The tops of the A's are really funky in the font. Looks like a cross between an A and T.

BillJones

<< <i>I didn't know this is a modern copy and I sort of envisioned it as being high relief.

But Bill's 1886 original one is awesome. Thanks for posting it. >>



The mint issued the three inch medal until sometime in the early 1980s, I believe. That piece was in high relief, but it had the "yellow bronze" sand blast finish and was not nearly as nice as the 19th century version.

Here is a "yellow bronze" inaugural medal that was issued from Franklin Roosevelt in 1933. The head is in very high relief on the obverse. The Medallic Art Company issued a piece with the nicer finish, but those are very scarce, and I've never had a chance to acquire one.

291fifth

$7 for a medal that probably should not cost more than $2. Pass.