Mystery Solved
cardinal
Posts: 2,005 ✭✭✭✭✭
Five years ago I came upon this odd die in an internet auction:
Of course, the image is quite similar to the obverse of the "Liberte Francoise," but missing the legends:
I acquired the die and then searched to see if I could find where it was actually put into use, with no success. Then, just this January at the FUN Show, Vicken Yegparian showed me a token/medal piece displaying flowing hair that he could not identify:
Not only did that token match the die in its design, the piece displayed the same defects seen on the die. Obviously, that token was struck by that particular die! Mystery solved! (As you might wonder, that token will soon join the Cardinal Collection.)
Okay, @Baley no need to point out the "shovel!" The parties who designed and included the cap on pole have been dead for centuries, and any further comments will literally fall on dead ears!
Comments
Do the privy marks on the edge of the medal give you a date range?
Definitely cool and quite a coincidence in even finding a struck example. Now you need the reverse die, right?
I forgot to check for edge marks when it saw it. That will be the first thing I check when it arrives.
That is AWESOME. Glad you found a piece that it was used to strike.
Reminds me of this medal:
Wow! That really does look quite similar! Can you post both sides of that medal?
Very neat items!
These DO look like a hat and an axe. And I'm coming around on why they are so tiny in scale in relation to the head size.. if larger, the portrait would have to shrink.
Thanks for the shout out C, well played!
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
I found images of that medal on the Paris Mint website:
Let's find one with an umbrella!
How about a cane and top hat, and Liberty can have a monocle!
Or maybe a pitchfork, and give her some cute little devil horns.
Or a baseball bat! With a cap and glove!
The possibilities are endless..
Calling Dan, it's Fantasy Time! 😉
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
Same face. I assume same engraver.
>
FWIW, mine does not have any edge markings. I don’t have a method to measure diameter, but it is about the size of a silver dollar and about 3mm thick.
Man, who doesnt love a good mystery?
Great addition to your Libertas medals and tokens collection!
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
That is so very cool cardinal, on so many levels. This is one of the best
mysteries I’ve seen in quite some time.
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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
Now that is a great find... and now they reside together... Very cool...Cheers, RickO
Amazing! Sometimes when you find a die, it can take a while to find the token. Glad you were able to pair these together!
One more mystery is if we'll ever find out who did this medal?
Here's the medal when it sold on Dec 7, 2018:
https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=2924&lot=1159
Beautiful medal and die!