We have a Bolen Thread, so lets see some Merriam Designs

coinsarefun

The Bolen thread was very nice
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So I thought to start one showing off your Merriam designs.
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This was just graded and imaged
1860 Token Schenkman C-11 Copper Franklin, Time is Money MS64RB
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DCW

Hold me back...
As some will note, Joseph Merriam is my favorite Civil War die sinker. I have always preferred his work to that of Bolen's, despite that medalist's popularity with coin collectors in general. In recent years, Bolen material has exploded in price. I am hoping Merriam continues to fly under the radar for a while longer while I expand the collection.
Here is another of his Ben Franklin pieces, this one with the George Washington reverse die:

coinsarefun

@DCW I’m setting you free to post away

EXOJUNKIE

Baker-122B, Copper, NGC MS64 BN

Rulau Mass-55, Copper, NGC MS65 BN

Rulau Mass-Bo-77, Copper, NGC MS64 BN

ricko

Awesome copper here... even before the weekend.... Cheers, RickO

DCW

Here is the famous "Good for a Scent" token by Merriam. While not especially rare in the realm of Civil War tokens, this one is among the most popular. It also has big crossover appeal to coin collectors which drives prices. Unc pieces can be found from time to time, but they generally find a home quickly. The design is simply irresistible. This piece is unquestionably the finest example I have ever seen. It once resided in the personal collection of the late Steve Tanenbaum. NGC MS66+ RB.
Could have easily been graded higher. It is nearly full red!

DCW

Here is another of Merriam's storecards. A little harder to find, but not as popular as the iconic dog obverse. This obverse die replaced "Good for a Scent" with Joseph H. Merriam, Boston. "NOT" One Cent. 1863
This one is also from Steve Tanenbaum's Collection, NGC MS65RB. There are a few others at NGC graded higher, but I've yet to see one I liked more:

BillJones

Here are a couple of political tokens by Merriam

1860 Lincoln campaign piece

1860 John Bell campaign piece. Perhaps Merriam made this piece because Edward Everett, the VP condidate, was from the Boston area.

And here is the Everett commemorating a 4th of July speech.

Salamander press token

And an embossing press by Merriam

DCW

Love those pieces @BillJones! Especially the embossing press. I'd love to pick one up one day.
Here is another "Good for a Scent" token ex. Bill Jones:


It's interesting to note that the "salamander reverse" is actually a misnomer. This is a depiction of Merriam's Toad Press, but as this token (when found) is usually encountered in low grades, its resemblance to the salamander was uncanny. So, the nickname stuck.
It is a very rare civil war token with a wildly popular image often called a "lizard with a pancake on his head."
Here's mine:


Here's the actual embossing press:


I want one of these things badly!

BillJones

Somehow "toad token" does not have the same ring to it as "salamander token."

Broadstruck

1863 Major General George B. McClellan, 32mm Diameter, Copper & Silver, Dewitt GMcC-1864-13 / Schenkman C-24, Struck by die sinker Joseph H. Merriam.

J. Doyle Dewitt in 1959 stated this medal was made and distributed during McClellan's 1864 Presidential Campaign which is not the case. Joseph H. Merriam struck a series of "Civil War Union General" medals in 1863 which also included Major General Philip Kearney and Major General Joseph Hooker featuring the similar obverse die design and the exact reverse die. David E. Schenkman considered it "Rare" in his 1980 article on Boston medalist Joseph H. Merriam which featured plated examples of all Merriam's works however even with all his connections was unable to locate an example to provide plated photographs of this McClellan.

DCW

Here's one of my favorites:
Z.S. Sampson, Boston, MA (circa 1860)
"Good for One Glass of Ice Cream Soda"


Just an excellent design!

Zoins

@DCW said:
Here's one of my favorites:
Z.S. Sampson, Boston, MA (circa 1860)
"Good for One Glass of Ice Cream Soda"

Just an excellent design!

Very cool token

At first, I thought it was "GOOD FOR ONE GLASS OF NICE CREAM"!

coinsarefun

@DCW I love that ice cream soda. I’ve not seen that one before, very cool

BillJones

The icream token is new to me also, but then again I have never been a big collector for the non political merchant tokens that are outside the Hard Times and Civil War series.

DCW

@coinsarefun said:
@DCW I love that ice cream soda. I’ve not seen that one before, very cool

It's pretty scarce. And I just love the fountain design with the eagles on either end.
This one, like so many of the finest known tokens and medals, came from the Steve Tanenbaum Collection.

DCW

Here are a couple of large Merriam Storecards, 31mm in size. Both are rare and quite impressive. Ex. Q. David Bowers
Washington/Merriam Storecard Reverse in Copper:


Washington/Merriam Storecard Reverse in Brass. (Unlisted in this metal)

DCW

Henry Clay, "The Eloquent Defender of National Rights." 31mm in Silver


This one is another very rare piece, perhaps only 2 known. It is unlisted in this composition. Silver was not a metal in which Merriam typically worked, and medals struck privately by die sinkers of the period were generally copper, brass, or "white metal" (tin.)

DCW

Henry Clay, 31mm in white metal

The Clay medals do not come up for sale frequently, but are most commonly found struck in tin such as the present example.

DCW

Franklin/Washington in tin 31mm