New Rochelle Half Dollar by Lorillard Wise
Zoins
Posts: 34,116 ✭✭✭✭✭
I just picked up these plasters with the originally accepted design for the New Rochelle Half Dollar by Lorillard Wise (or Lorrilard, as per Don Taxay). Sometime after this design was accepted by the Commission of Fine Arts, they changed their mind and went with another artist / sculptor. This is a fun piece for me because I have an interest in the coin creation process including everything from sketches to die trials (see my avatar) and everything in between.
A funny thing is that when I looked up Lorrilard Wise, it turns out he lived less than 30 miles from where I used to live. Since he lived in New Rochelle, I was wondering if there were any records of a membership in the Westchester County Coin Club.
Update: photos of Dan Carr's version on the Westchester County Coin Club 75th Anniversary medal are now below.
Comments
That's very cool, Zoins! I hadn't seen that design before. Are the plasters stored in something to protect them? Or do you display them on a bookshelf or wall?
I lived in Hastings-on-Hudson in the early '80's and taught for a while at Iona College in New Rochelle...just a few blocks from Lorrilard Wise's home. Probably walked by it.
Lance.
These are beautiful. I have seen them in-hand, photographed them previously and wrote a couple paragraphs of history and description of them previously.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Extremely cool!
Very impressive. Considering they are now about 80 years old they seem to be in excellent condition.
Very cool! Are they in some kind of case to keep them safe?
Thanks for all the great comments everyone! Seeing and holding these in-hand are a wonderful treat.
These are currently still in their well-packed and protected Heritage boxes as I decide how to store/display them. I've already nixed a few ideas due to potential for accidents. Dropping these would be a bit more traumatic than dropping a slabbed coin!
That is so cool on so many level zoins, great pickup!.
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
I'll double check the records for you. I have quite a few boxes of wccc history. Also read the book on the subject you will find it quite interesting.
I'd have to display these. Way to cool to leave in packing material!
Nice purchase!
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Those are really nice and an example of great coin art without the commercialism or PC effect.... Cheers, RickO
The good old days, when sculptors designed coins as sculptures.
I just picked up Dan Carr / @dcarr's rendition of Lorrilard Wise's design on the Westchester County Coin Club 75th Anniversary medal. The Westchester County Coin Club is notable (and possibly unique?) in that it sponsored the New Rochelle Half Dollar. Has any other coin club been as involved in the release of a coin?
This Westchester County Coin Club page has some good information on Lorrilard Wise's design, being accepted on September 16, 1936 and then rejected on October 28, 1936:
Here's more information on this anniversary medal which indicates that:
http://www.numismaticnews.net/article/medal_features_rejected_design
Thanks to @ScarsdaleCoin for these medals! They look great! I also have some other WCCC medals and need to pull them out to take pics.
WTG Zoins!!!!
mark
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Outstanding!!!!
Thanks everyone! They are a great part of history to be a caretaker for.
@TomB Are your photographs and text online? I'd love to see them!
Bumped because it is interesting.
http://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistry/publishedset.aspx?s=142753
https://www.autismforums.com/media/albums/acrylic-colors-by-rocco.291/
No bumping this thread as the contents are very fragile