California Agricultural Society medals

wev · July 19, 2015 7:05AM

I a silver guy, but not a coin/medal guy. Is there any information on the various medals issued -- silver, gold, gilt? The piece below appears to be gold, but may be plated bronze, though the plating must be very deep given the depth of the engraving. It is marked Shreve & Co.

(Sorry the pics aren't better -- taken quickly, hand-held with not great lighting.)

Type2 · July 19, 2015 7:13AM

Looks to be gold cool looking.

coindeuce · July 19, 2015 10:18AM

It probably is just yellow bronze. You could easily make a preliminary determination by having it tested with a standard jewelry tester, such as the GXL-24 from TRI.
If Andy Harkness doesn't have a gold example of a CalAg Society medal listed in his book
Agricultural and Mechanical Society Medals of the United States , you can be 99.9% sure they don't exist in gold. I've owned several examples of U.S. Mint made (AM-61) N.Y. Ag. Society medals in .900 gold, but not many states Ag. societies could afford to be awarding gold medals. Your California medal was made in San Francisco by Shreve & Company, which was founded in the 1890's as a custom jewelry maker. The company still exists today.

jonathanb · July 19, 2015 11:18AM

That medal was produced for a long period, roughly from the 1880s to the 1940s. Not common by any stretch, but on the "less rare" side of the spectrum of agricultural society medals. Gilt silver specimens are known, with a weight of about 45 grams. I do have record of a version in gold. Still, if yours is anywhere in that sort of weight range, I would definitely assume gilt.

As incredible as it is, Harkness's book is just a documentation of his collection. My collection doesn't hold a candle to his, and I have dozens of pieces that are unlisted in his book. So yes, be impressed. Just don't read too much into things if you find something that isn't listed.

coindeuce · July 19, 2015 11:21AM

CaptHenway · July 19, 2015 12:23PM

Specific gravity is very useful.

Zoins · July 19, 2015 12:36PM

I like the engraving awarded to the Hillcrest Stock Farm and the $2,200 Hillcrest Hero:

<< <i>J. H. GLIDE
HILLCREST HERO
GRAND CHAMPION
SHORTHORN BULL
1904 >>

Also ran across this newspaper ad (and others) from Thornton S. Glide, son of J. H. Glide:

<< <i>FOR SALE:
100 Short-Horn Bulls
sired by grandsons of King Edward, Hillcrest Hero, Choice Goods and other prize-winning Bulls. >>

Good to see the Glide's carrying on the bull raising tradition.

Good luck on finding out the composition.

illini420 · July 19, 2015 12:37PM

Gold is so much heavier than silver or bronze, I have a feeling you'd know just by holding it if it were gold.

Very cool piece!

CaptHenway · July 19, 2015 1:01PM

Find a silver coin of approximately the same diameter and thickness. Heft one in one hand and the other in the other hand. If the medal is gold, you will feel the difference.

Zoins · July 19, 2015 1:13PM

J. H. Glide's legacy lives on in the Glide Foundation created by Thornton S. Glide, his son, and Katrina, his daughter-in-law. Nice to find a connection to today from 111 years ago. Hillcrest Farms was founded as early as 1872.

Not sure if the foundation would be interested, but it could be cool for them to have some photos of the medal to display on their website.

ricko · July 20, 2015 1:27AM

Really nice medal....makes you wonder how it left the family.... Cheers, RickO

wev · July 21, 2015 7:58AM

Sorry for the delay replying -- dsl is having fits with the hot weather. Thank you for all the posts.

The medal weights 56.5 grams, so definitely heavier than noted above. It appears that whoever ended up with the various Glide awards is slowly disposing of them. I have found three others (another gold and two silver) sold in the past few years; a silver is on ebay now (item #330747940357).

And just to note, I have no interest in any of thee pieces past curiosity

California Agricultural Society medals

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