Exo-exonumia: A jaw dropper for so-called dollar fans UPDATE 6/16/2006 with struck medal
jonathanb
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I hope that everyone has had the opportunity to see an item that simply made your jaw hit the floor. Fortunately for my wallet, they come for me few and far between. But every so often they do come...
This is HK-427, the official medal (in bronze) for the Panama-California Exposition. It was also produced in silver (HK-426) and gilt (HK-428) with a date of 1915; the corresponding pieces with a date of 1916 are HK-429 through HK-431.
Hibler-Kaplan had this to say about this medal:
<< <i>Official Medals below designed by C. K. Berryman, Cartoonist for Washington Star; engraved by C. E. Barber; struck in Mint Exhibit on grounds. This was the first and only official exposition medal with Uncle Sam as the main design (1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition gold dollars were not official medals); also striking of this issue for both years of exposition represented first occasion "where medal of this character had been minted and dated for different years." >>
HK-427 is fairly common as so-called dollars go.
This is a blank planchet (a little worse for its age) for striking the gilt version of this medal:
Normally, it's tough to authenticate a blank planchet. For that reason, I don't think I've ever seen another -- even assuming there are more out there, it's hard to identify them. Fact is, I'm not positive that that is a blank planchet for HK-428/HK-431. But I'm pretty sure, because it came with these:
Those are the original dies for striking HK-429, HK-430, and HK-431.
...and for the benefit for those who have never seen a real die crack before, one final close-up showing what a cracked die looks like before it strikes a coin. You can see it along the shaft of the die, then turn the corner into the striking face where it extends across the field a little above the date and then a bit into South America (it's also very visible in the head-on view above, once you realize what you're looking at):
How cool is that?
jonathan
UPDATE 6/16/2006: I finally located a copy of HK-430 with a matching die crack that shows that this medal was struck from this die. Neat! (Now I need to find copies of HK-429 and HK-431...)
This is HK-427, the official medal (in bronze) for the Panama-California Exposition. It was also produced in silver (HK-426) and gilt (HK-428) with a date of 1915; the corresponding pieces with a date of 1916 are HK-429 through HK-431.
Hibler-Kaplan had this to say about this medal:
<< <i>Official Medals below designed by C. K. Berryman, Cartoonist for Washington Star; engraved by C. E. Barber; struck in Mint Exhibit on grounds. This was the first and only official exposition medal with Uncle Sam as the main design (1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition gold dollars were not official medals); also striking of this issue for both years of exposition represented first occasion "where medal of this character had been minted and dated for different years." >>
HK-427 is fairly common as so-called dollars go.
This is a blank planchet (a little worse for its age) for striking the gilt version of this medal:
Normally, it's tough to authenticate a blank planchet. For that reason, I don't think I've ever seen another -- even assuming there are more out there, it's hard to identify them. Fact is, I'm not positive that that is a blank planchet for HK-428/HK-431. But I'm pretty sure, because it came with these:
Those are the original dies for striking HK-429, HK-430, and HK-431.
...and for the benefit for those who have never seen a real die crack before, one final close-up showing what a cracked die looks like before it strikes a coin. You can see it along the shaft of the die, then turn the corner into the striking face where it extends across the field a little above the date and then a bit into South America (it's also very visible in the head-on view above, once you realize what you're looking at):
How cool is that?
jonathan
UPDATE 6/16/2006: I finally located a copy of HK-430 with a matching die crack that shows that this medal was struck from this die. Neat! (Now I need to find copies of HK-429 and HK-431...)
5
Comments
I would say SOOPER COOL!
I can't imagine the die were cheap.......looks like a fantastic pickup
It's certainly easier to see why dies are changed when they crack.
Stuart
Collect 18th & 19th Century US Type Coins, Silver Dollars, $20 Gold Double Eagles and World Crowns & Talers with High Eye Appeal
"Luck is what happens when Preparation meets Opportunity"
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VERY,VERY COOL.
Thanks.
Brian
Sean Reynolds
"Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
Regarding restrikes: yes, I considered it. I can't see I'd ever do it, though, for fear of harming the dies (not to mention other little details, like lack of equipment or knowledge to do the striking). There is a long tradition of making restrikes from original dies. I was catching up on the last couple of issues of The Numismatist tonight, and one of the recent articles had a mention of the Confederate Cent restrikes, and being able to tell the 1960-vintage restrikes from the 1880-vintage ones. So for those who know about this sort of thing, I imagine there are ways to tell.
If I can come up with a suitable -- and soft -- material, I might make pressings by hand, just to see what it's like. I need something stiff like cardboard, but that would also flow enough to take an impression. Mothing has jumped to mind yet. I'll keep thinking about it.
jonathan
<< <i>Thanks for the kind words. I'm pretty psyched, to say the least.
Regarding restrikes: yes, I considered it. I can't see I'd ever do it, though, for fear of harming the dies (not to mention other little details, like lack of equipment or knowledge to do the striking). There is a long tradition of making restrikes from original dies. I was catching up on the last couple of issues of The Numismatist tonight, and one of the recent articles had a mention of the Confederate Cent restrikes, and being able to tell the 1960-vintage restrikes from the 1880-vintage ones. So for those who know about this sort of thing, I imagine there are ways to tell.
If I can come up with a suitable -- and soft -- material, I might make pressings by hand, just to see what it's like. I need something stiff like cardboard, but that would also flow enough to take an impression. Mothing has jumped to mind yet. I'll keep thinking about it.
jonathan >>
Lead is traditional for soft strikes.
Plaster of paris has been used but it may be difficult to remove from the dies if you don't know the procedure.
I have seen restrikes done in leather.
Brian
<< <i>f I can come up with a suitable -- and soft -- material, I might make pressings by hand, just to see what it's like. I need something stiff like cardboard, but that would also flow enough to take an impression. Mothing has jumped to mind yet. I'll keep thinking about it. >>
Just for purposes of illustration you might consider the green stuff florists use for aranging flowers. It's very maliable but stiff so it will hold the impression. Also, I can't imaging making a few impressions in that material would damage those amazing dies.
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." -Luke 11:9
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i wondered if you could give a little synopsis as to how you came by the dies, as long-winded as possible, please-----nothing but the facts and details!!!
al h.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
<< <i> have you thought of donating it to a pertinent Historical Society, The Smithsonian or even the U.S Numismatic Collection??
al h. >>
Why donate any numismatic item to the Smithsonian? They'll just put it in storage.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
1jester: Those pics show things from the Panama-Pacific Exposition. That also took place in 1915, but in San Francisco. The Panama-Californial Exposition was in San Diego, and different (apparently).
keets: The synopsis of how I got the dies is very short: They're from eBay. I asked the seller if they had any additional information, and they said they didn't. What you see is what you get. Bummer.
jonathan
I still think you have a cool item.
I still like the idea of a leather restrick.
A slab of leather and a 8 lb hammer,with a little back bone,your in.
I'll give you $25. for your first try.
Brian
Good luck and let us know how your "restrikes" turn out. I'd love to acquire one if you end up making them.
The information about the dies, the crack and seeing the medal and blank planchette is truely a piece of education I appreciate.
I hope this thread hangs around long enough for all of our big time coin people to benefit from it.
Without having read the entire post, where did you run across this stuff?
The name is LEE!
Thanks for sharing.
Outstanding post! Thanks for sharing!
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
K
That is VERY nice. WOW!
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I am SO peeved at myself for not opening this thread in October when you first posted it. What you have is truly outstanding!
Mark
Outstanding thread
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