I think I may have scored the first "rip" of my collecting career today...
terribleredmonster
Posts: 456 ✭
...and it was a total fluke.
Recently a new store opened locally which calls itself a pawn shop. It isn't, because pawning isn't legal here, but aside from the whole making loans part it's basically the same. My better half suggested we stop in to check out the operation. It's a low rent kind of place in a low rent kind of town. Basically, I think they only exist to buy metals on the cheap and flip them out of town.
At any rate, I asked them for coins and they showed me to the saddest display I've ever seen. It was a single, small lucite revolving case housing about two dozen 2x2s, most of which contained worn base metal foreign coins. I asked if they had a secret stash or some bullion I could check out, but I was told that what I saw was what they had.
Well, the ol' lady was browsing and content, and I know better than to rush her, so I decided I'd give each little piece of junk in that case a good once over to kill a little time. There was only one item in that case that looked interesting to me, but I had absolutely no idea what it was. It was a medal and it appeared to be bronze. It had the beginning and end dates of the Civil War on it, so I figured it was some kind of third party commemorative. No big deal, but it looked cool, so I paid the asking price: $1.
Here's what I got:
And here is the same medal (inscribed for a different soldier, of course) sold recently on ebay:
West Virginia Civil War Service Medal
The edge inscription reads:
"GEo RAMEDGE CoK 1st REGt INF VOLs"
Recently a new store opened locally which calls itself a pawn shop. It isn't, because pawning isn't legal here, but aside from the whole making loans part it's basically the same. My better half suggested we stop in to check out the operation. It's a low rent kind of place in a low rent kind of town. Basically, I think they only exist to buy metals on the cheap and flip them out of town.
At any rate, I asked them for coins and they showed me to the saddest display I've ever seen. It was a single, small lucite revolving case housing about two dozen 2x2s, most of which contained worn base metal foreign coins. I asked if they had a secret stash or some bullion I could check out, but I was told that what I saw was what they had.
Well, the ol' lady was browsing and content, and I know better than to rush her, so I decided I'd give each little piece of junk in that case a good once over to kill a little time. There was only one item in that case that looked interesting to me, but I had absolutely no idea what it was. It was a medal and it appeared to be bronze. It had the beginning and end dates of the Civil War on it, so I figured it was some kind of third party commemorative. No big deal, but it looked cool, so I paid the asking price: $1.
Here's what I got:
And here is the same medal (inscribed for a different soldier, of course) sold recently on ebay:
West Virginia Civil War Service Medal
The edge inscription reads:
"GEo RAMEDGE CoK 1st REGt INF VOLs"
"YOU SUCK!" Awarded by nankraut/renomedphys 6/13/13 - MadMarty dissents
0
Comments
Successful Transactions With: JoeLewis, Mkman123, Harry779, Grote15, gdavis70, Kryptonitecomics
For a large selection of U.S. Coins & Currency, visit The Reeded Edge's online webstore at the link below.
The Reeded Edge
bob
26,000 of these medals had been struck in 1866 issued in three versions - Class I - "Honorably Discharged", Class II - "Killed In Battle", Class III - "For Liberty" (Died of Illness or Wounds).
3,500 have never been claimed and are still available today to family member with proof and willingness to pay a $50.00 application fee.
Here's a site for more info on them Link and there's many more.
--Severian the Lame
<< <i>I don't understand, a pawn shop and you did NOT negotiate?
bob
I did briefly consider lowballing for it at $.50. Heh.
<< <i>Oh, wow. This is cool. Thanks! >>
On these it looks like the original cardboard box with whom it was issued to is worth far more then the medals themselves.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
Coins in Movies
Coins on Television
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
<< <i>DeMarest was every bit as skilled and accomplished at his trade as the Lovett family was. >>
The medal does look very nice.
What was DeMarest's first name? Most of my searches just return "A. DeMarest".
What was DeMarest's first name? Most of my searches just return "A. DeMarest".
Abraham DeMarest operated his engraving/printing business from 182 Broadway in Manhattan, circa 1880's.
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
<< <i>What was DeMarest's first name? Most of my searches just return "A. DeMarest".
Abraham DeMarest operated his engraving/printing business from 182 Broadway in Manhattan, circa 1880's. >>
Cool. Thanks coindeuce
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
<< <i>I'll correct myself on the info about DeMarest's working career. He was active from 1859-1880. He is alleged to have succumbed in 1889 to alcoholism. The OP's medal was probably produced early 1870's. >>
The West Virginia State Archives says the following:
<< <i>The medals are stored in the small cardboard boxes in which they arrived from A. Demarest of New York City following the 1866 commissioning by Governor A. I. Boreman based upon the contract arranged by Adjutant General George W. Brown of Preston County. [...]
The state has conducted several campaigns to distribute the medals. Originally the responsibility of the Adjutant General's Office, approximately fifteen thousand were given out during the first year and an additional twenty-five hundred in 1868. >>
It seems like the medals were commissioned in 1866 and delivered to recipients in 1867 (the first year?) and 1868.
It's a neat story that West Virginia officially commissioned these medals and are still seeking to deliver them to the descendants of the original recipients.
Empty Nest Collection
Cool medal though.
<< <i>So it would appear that terribleredmonster bought this for less than 1/100 of it's value so is it a "you suck" or what? >>
OK terribleredmonster: YOU SUCK!!
<< <i>So it would appear that terribleredmonster bought this for less than 1/100 of it's value so is it a "you suck" or what? >>
Not even close to an official you suck...
But a nice pick!!!