constanius

Great coin.

Thanks for posting it, we learned plenty too. Sorry about the way you were treated Scott but most of us have been there at sometime!

24% were monetarily reformed = Deutchmarks to euro, lira to euros, francs to euro etc so just a change, not a failure of the fiat currency 12% destroyed by independence = A newly independent country just introduces its own currency, so not a failure of the fiat currency 21% destroyed by war = So not a failure of the fiat currency 23% still in circulation. So 80% of the fiat currencies were not failures. The 20% that failed due to hyperinflation might have been caused by other reasons than a fundemental problem with fiat money, the only real problem with fiat money is the over printing of currency, which is also a political & economic problem. In the same way that "words" are very useful, they can also be used for evil purposes, so it goes with fiat money, used wisely it can offer flexibility, used badly it creates problems. By using a gold or any other "standard" that flexibility is lost. Not that I would recommend to hold cash as it loses its value, is far better to invest in property, land, stocks, shares, bonds etc. For some points against the inflexibility of the Gold Standard http://www.j-bradford-delong.net/politics/whynotthegoldstandard.html and the countries that suffered more from recessions & depressions because of it. If there is any merit in a global economy of having a gold based currency why is it there no country in the world that uses it?

I hope your friends get good jobs etc but I do not think fiat money is the problem. Not sure where the 25 year cycle info comes from? I do not think that is correct but am open to any evidence. I think fiat money has just been blown up into the bogeyman for the worlds economic woes, without any sound arguments or real evidence.

I think that Fiat Currency is here to stay.

Welcome

Welcome

One of the few modern medals that I own 37mm. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_%22In_Commemoration_of_the_800th_Anniversary_of_Moscow%22

The 60D on the 1917-1977 medal looks like GOD!!! I suspect he would not be amused. On second thoughts..........

I was born in Enfield, Middx. One of the reasons I wanted the York merchant token livery button was I lived there for 6 years so I fully understand that somethings also carry a sentimental value.

The crest is most likely from Sir William Mordaunt Sturt Milner, 4th Baronet (1779 - 1855) of Nun Appleton Hall, North Yorkshire Coat-of-Arms Military: Major, York Hussars (Yeomanry Cavalry). Office: High Sheriff of Yorkshire, 1817-1818. Luckily bridled Pegasus heads are pretty rare, and he was the first Baronet Milner to use the bridle on the Pegasus plus with his York connections seems very likely the button is from his livery. He succeeded his father in 1811, so my dating looks pretty good so far. Crest: A Pegasus head and wings couped and bridled

I took the liberty of using one of the pictures from the ebay listing I posted. These are livery buttons, during the 18th & 19th century's most families wealthy enough to have a large number of servants would provide them with civilian uniforms(livery) & the buttons on them would typically show the heraldic animal associated with their family crest. So what I posted as a merchant token is a livery button but having the tailor's names on the reverse who had supplied the uniforms, all of these pictured above just have the button maker name. I guess it is surprising that it has taken me so long to acquire a mint struck button when you consider that many of the issuers of the tokens I collect are listed as Birmingham die sinkers & button makers. The picture below is of a RRRR token of Henry Kettle which looks so similar to the livery buttons, it is one that I have been trying to obtain for a long time. I think that this could actually have been made/intended as a livery button because the size is 31mm but Kettle has used what appears to be the obverse die from his 1802 imitation spade guinea which was only 19mm but has his name below the bust.

That thought had also crossed my mind but it seemed rather large for a button & unlike most of the buttons I have seen from that era, typically brass uniform buttons. I had also wondered if it had been adapted with a stud for some other kind of fitting, perhaps a lapel pin etc. Now that you have also come up with it possibly being a button I better do some more research on early 19th century buttons Thanks for your input ccg it is most appreciated. Edit: You are right ccg it is a button http://www.ebay.com/itm/19TH-CENTURY-Lot-of-9-English-BUTTONS-Made-in-London-Verity-of-Button-Makers-/370675684658 or at least it looks the same type as these, though they are all about 25mm, mine is 30mm. One of the references said that the early 1800's buttons mostly had no maker's name on the reverse & were heavier, the later ones were lighter & had the maker's name. Mine is 8 grams, so would classify as heavy, so circa 1820's seems okay. So this is my first collectible button. Thanks again

A merchant token(EDIT) livery button of Evers & Anderson Tailors of York England, I can find no listing or info for it, 30mm copper undated but I am tentative dating this circa 1820 & assume it is RRRR. Looks as if just the obverse was silvered and it has a spot of solder(?) on the reverse. The wear it has sustained over the years, for me at least, adds a certain charm to it. This is the type of find that really turns my crank. William Evers established his tailoring business in York in 1802, in 1818 he was located in Spurriergate. At a, so far to me, unknown date he entered into a partnership with R. W. Anderson another York tailor who had already incorporated William Robinson Est. 1762 into his company. Seeing as Evers name is first he certainly was not a junior partner. Both men were actively involved with the Merchant Tailors Guild in York.

The medal is listed as BHM#3834 39mm WM. R. but Brown only put "by W.J.H" it is the only medal listed by W.J.H in BHM, and those initials are not in Forrer. Hope is not loss though as there was a Birmingham(Eng) silversmith active in the Ist quarter of the 20th century who's silvermark was WJH for William James Holmes, so I think it was by him.

Is this a play on 3 ring circus? Nice medal

Thanks for the link mio45 and the pictures, very nice.

I assume that because he wanted the enclosed letter returned, if not used, it was of some importance to him if it was not published but if published then it lost that importance, else he could have just kept a copy, strange. The original article would help, great fun. I have just sent an email to the Times to see if they are willing to help. I also realized that I omitted details of the medal. One of a series of 12 Laudatory medals by Theodore Spicer-Simson issued in 1922 to honour leading literary figures. BHM# 4172 Obv. Draped bust of John Mansfield, bare head, right. Sailing ship in field to right: In exergue . IOHN . MASEFIELD-A.D-/ MCMXXII Rev. Blank AE(cast) R. 110mm EDIT: Reading up on Masefield himself I came across this which is in regard to when he was Poet Laureate(1930 and later) "Although the requirements of Poet Laureate had changed, and those in the office were rarely required to write verse for special occasions, Masefield took his appointment seriously and produced a large quantity of verse. Poems composed in his official capacity were sent to The Times. Masefield's modesty was shown by his inclusion of a stamped envelope with each submission so that his composition could be returned if it were found unacceptable for publication" I will add this edit addition to the first post.

Whilst I am searching for old medals in antique stores I often come up empty-handed but something else catches my eye and of course I end up buying it. This is one such item, though it does have a picture of a medal of John Masefield(which first drew my attention to it) the letter which it contains is the real reason why they were framed together circa 1930. So having a medal pictured and being found while on the hunt for exonumia I feel justified in posting it here for your amusement and edification. John Masefield was an English poet, who every pupil when I was a lad in England had to learn 2 of his poems(no idea if they still do but I doubt it, shame really) Sea Fever "I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by"........... and from Cargoes ......... "Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack, Butting through the Channel in the mad March days"....... He eventually became The Poet Laureate. This letter is one he wrote during his most productive period and on the cusp of his fame. It is dated April 25 1910, addressed from 30, Maida Hill West, W. to The Editor of the Times(London, who was Charles Frederic Moberly Bell at that time) asking for a letter to be returned to him if it was not to be used, he had written it in response to the leading article of the 20th inst. There is a green sticker on the rear of the framed letter of "Thomas F. Madigan 2 East 54th Street corner 5th Avenue, New York" and a typed note describing the letter. Madigan was Thee purveyor of autographs of the rich and famous to the rich and famous. He also wrote a book on collecting autographs. Now if I had access to the Times archives I could find out what the editor's leading article for the 20th April 1910 was and perhaps hazard a guess to what Masefield's letter referenced, which he was anxious to have returned if not used, maybe the gem of a poem. Also might be able to see if it was used, plenty of scope for research! Hope, that if you have struggled to the end of this posting, that you have enjoyed it. EDIT: Copied this from my last post in this topic: Reading up on Masefield himself I came across this which is in regard to when he was Poet Laureate(1930 and later) "Although the requirements of Poet Laureate had changed, and those in the office were rarely required to write verse for special occasions, Masefield took his appointment seriously and produced a large quantity of verse. Poems composed in his official capacity were sent to The Times. Masefield's modesty was shown by his inclusion of a stamped envelope with each submission so that his composition could be returned if it were found unacceptable for publication" So he had probably penned a verse and in those days(1910) if you wanted a copy you had to write it out yourself in longhand! Hence this request for its return if not used.

Purchased on 21-April-13 my apologies if it was the same one, better luck next time

Modern reproducion Pattern Cartwheel Penny in Golden Alloy. Based on contemporary specifications, of the historic 1797 'Cartwheel' penny, originally manufactured in Birmingham in the UK by Matthew Boulton. These medallic coins were produced in November 2000 very near to the original Soho Factory, by a local Mint in Birmingham, adhering to the high standards and exact engraving and minting methods practised by Boulton. Donald R. Golder, a renowned British sculptor cut new dies based on the Boulton originals. The initials D.R.G replace the original C.H.K. (C.H. Kuchler) on the King's shoulder, and the reverse reads 'COLIN COOKE & NEIL PAISLEY NUMISMATISTS'. I do not usually buy repros but made an exception for this, as it is clearly a numismatic advertising token which means it cannot be passed off as the genuine article.

Hi Scott the obverse is in Rouyers, used with different reverses up to #1439 but the reverse on yours is too hard to identify. Though commonly identified as jetons could equally be called mereaux(mereau, singular) as it is believed that some(if not all) were used, or at least intended, for that purpose. The truncated and garbled Latin is for IHS Salvator saecula saeculorum = Jesus our Saviour for ever and ever

I purchased this BHM#944 Death Princess Charlotte 1817 by Kempson & Sons, 26mm Rare silvered AE, because it had copy/reducing lines & was a variant, both obverse & reverse. Then I found it in brass BHM#944 brass common, so added that to my collection. Then I spotted this PRINCE Charlotte, the SS was struck with a filled die! so had to have it too. Goodness me, now this one turned up with even better copy/reducing lines, where is this going to end

Obv. 'IHS' in gothic script, with stroke of 'H' crossed; simple ornaments in field, around AVE IIIARI STELLA DEI IIIATE: Rev. Narrow armed double stranded arcuate cross fleuretty with flower in each angle, dot in center, around AVE IIIARI STELLA DEI IIIAT: The III = M & the S does double duty for Maris Stella Circa 1461-1497, 27 mm. IHS for Jesus was popularized by St. Bernadine of Sienna in the 15th century as a symbol of peace.

Questo catalogo numismatico delle monete e medaglie di Mantova (e Casale Monferrato, sotto la dominazione gonzaghesca) ha l'obbiettivo di divulgare la conoscenza della monetazione mantovana e di fornire un insostituibile supporto agli studiosi, numismatici e collezionisti della zecca di Mantova riportando il maggior numero di informazioni possibili sulle monete e medaglie riportate. Becomes this, which is just a small part of the page, the whole page translates almost instantly. This catalog numismatic coins and medals of Mantua (and Casale Monferrato, under the domination of Gonzaga) has the aim to spread the knowledge of the coinage valance and provide an invaluable support to scholars, collectors and numismatists of the mint of Mantua reporting the highest number information as possible on coins and medals given.