About an 8 on the FatMan Coolness Scale - Dahlonega Love Token
FatMan
Posts: 8,977 ✭
No, it's not the coin that everyone is making a big to do over. That will come later (it's only a big deal if you are a Southern Gold Weenie).
This however is very cool, and now I understand it to be very hard to come by. A big thanks go out to Regulated who pulled this out of his little box of cool stuff at the Atlanta ANA and allowed me to make it part of my collection for a very fair price.
This is a religious love token and I have very little information on its history. I have looked up MIZPAH and have discovered the meaning as: watch-tower; the look-out. Apparently the term is quite common on jewelry. What makes this piece so extrordinary is that it was made with what was most likely at the time an uncirculated 1849-D $1. For a little perspective, last night a MS64 1849-D $1 sold in auction for around 17K. Of course over the years this has developed some wear and has been cleaned. I can't tell if that is a "76" at 4:00 on the obverse or if it is just some design elements. My guess is that I have an active imagination, but if it is "76" I wonder if that represents the year it was engraved. If so, I assume 1876 as by 1976 the value would have most likely prevented the artist from using the coin.
After acquiring the piece I was made aware by several Dahlonega Collectors as to how dificult finding a D-Mint love token can be. I was told that Carl Lester, an associate of Gold Rush Gallery has been in search of one for quite some time.
If anyone knows anything about this piece, or similar pieces please share what you know in this thread.
As suggested in the title, this scores about an 8 on the FatMan Coolness Scale. Not bad for an itty bitty piece of gold.
This however is very cool, and now I understand it to be very hard to come by. A big thanks go out to Regulated who pulled this out of his little box of cool stuff at the Atlanta ANA and allowed me to make it part of my collection for a very fair price.
This is a religious love token and I have very little information on its history. I have looked up MIZPAH and have discovered the meaning as: watch-tower; the look-out. Apparently the term is quite common on jewelry. What makes this piece so extrordinary is that it was made with what was most likely at the time an uncirculated 1849-D $1. For a little perspective, last night a MS64 1849-D $1 sold in auction for around 17K. Of course over the years this has developed some wear and has been cleaned. I can't tell if that is a "76" at 4:00 on the obverse or if it is just some design elements. My guess is that I have an active imagination, but if it is "76" I wonder if that represents the year it was engraved. If so, I assume 1876 as by 1976 the value would have most likely prevented the artist from using the coin.
After acquiring the piece I was made aware by several Dahlonega Collectors as to how dificult finding a D-Mint love token can be. I was told that Carl Lester, an associate of Gold Rush Gallery has been in search of one for quite some time.
If anyone knows anything about this piece, or similar pieces please share what you know in this thread.
As suggested in the title, this scores about an 8 on the FatMan Coolness Scale. Not bad for an itty bitty piece of gold.
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Comments
I'm torn between liking it and crying....
<< <i>I'm torn between liking it and crying....
No need to cry. All part of numismatic history. The 1849-D had a huge mintage anyway. Somewhere around 22000, more than double the next highest D-Dollar mintage.
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
I think MIZPAH is Yiddish....I could be wrong.
<< <i>No, it's not the coin that everyone is making a big to do over. That will come later (it's only a big deal if you are a Southern Gold Weenie). >>
The teasing has got to stop.
A similar Mizpah love token on an 1874 gold dollar sold a couple of days ago on eBay:
There was an article titled "MIZPAH on love tokens" on page 262 of the 10/1997 issue of the Numismatics International Bulletin.
I'd be interested if anyone was able to track down more information.
jonathan
What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
<< <i>I think MIZPAH is Yiddish....I could be wrong. >>
It is Hebrew, a settlement in ancient Israel. (Mentioned several times in the Neve'im=Prophets, like the books of Judges and Kings.)
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<< <i>There's a seedy MIZPAH hotel in Reno, Nevada. >>