bill

Regardless of its age, neat medal.

Good luck with the search. Life has a way of dealing us ups and downs, but it all comes out for the better in the long run. Hang in there and don't let the SOBs get you down.

The Holabird-Kagin auction at the WESTS show had a number of badges from New Mexico from the Vinegar collection. The bidding was spirited (mostly on the phone and internet since most of the collectors in the audience were token collectors). Lot 883 was a constable badge from Kelly, NM described as being made on a Mexican Liberty Cap 5 peso, hand engraved. It sold for $900. Lot 891 was a Mogollon marshall badge, made from a Mexican peso. The edge is described as being lettered, "Agriculiuha Industria Comercio." It sold for $700. In all, 35 badges were sold in the auction. I did not inspect them myself and I wouldn't be an expert anyway. Given that Holabird deals with early western Americana and given that Vinegar focus and expertise was on the Indian-trader and territorial period in the Southwest, I have no reason to suspect the items were fantasy pieces. I suspect cinco peso badges of the Texas Rangers do exist which is not to say that there are not fakes in the market place. While I did not examine these myself, the photographs appear that the coin was first beaten into the approximate size and shape before the design was cut out and the letters engraved. The relevant catalog section starts at: http://liveauctions....Auction_as22472 Obviously it would have to be the peso coin since the 5 peso coin was gold, but Cinco Peso could be a modern term relating to the practice started in the 1960s of using the 1940s Mexican 5 peso pieces as blanks to strike badges for the Texas Rangers. Their historical site just says the authentic early badges were cut from Mexican coins, probably by jewelers. I also note several web sites offering to make replica badges and selling replica badges showing the coin design on the reverse. These are obviously fakes.

You've certainly been having fun. A ton and a half! Does he use a shovel to top off the bin? It does sound like fun to search that pile.

I suspect there are two Father Serra medals being discussed here. The Serra medal posted by seabeebrian is the official medal struck by the US Mint. 10,000 were struck in silver, 89,000 in bronze. I'll post a picture of the book as soon as I get a chance.

Forget the wave, that is stunning!

No, it sits in my safe, but I'm working on a new so-called dollar catalog with Jeff Shevlin that will cover the expositions of the west coast. I tend to collect items that I am currently researching and writing about or thinking about writing about. I started this collection when I started our latest publication project. I've also been collecting the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition, but I haven't gotten around to posting that set as yet.

AYPE in a fancy script.

A lady's lapel pin (I say ladies because of the style and the fact that it is a very small pin).

NCLT or not, the Canadian mint is producing some interesting pieces.

Maybe you are thinking of the sculptures of the Norwegian Gustav Vigeland:

Wonderful design. I was going to click on the like this button (I guess that is part of the new upgrade), but it says I have reached my quota for the day. I like a lot posted here, but I didn't think I had been on today before now. Oh well, I do like it.

And now for a variety of watch fobs. Since the exposition logo was not copyrighted, everyone could use it in their designs. Minor differences help distinguish different makers if you have signed pieces to use a a key. Many watch fobs were signed so they are interesting for a variety of reasons. My collection so far: Greenduck, Chicago Schwaab Stamp and Seal, Milwaukee One of my favorites, unsigned: and a Joseph Mayer and Bros., Seattle:

Lovely indeed. You have exquisite tastes!

And a few other pieces acquired in the past month:

I posted a gold award medal above (all the medals were struck in bronze). If you wanted a gold or silver medal, you had to have your's plated at your own expense. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to acquire a silver medal with its original award diploma. It is the center piece of my AYPE collection.

It is not as flashy as some of the medals, but I was happy to pick up the Gold Camp Saloon souvenir token from the exposition. The exposition midway had a replica Alaska gold camp where one could experience all the misery of living in the gold fields. Just to make it even harder on the fair goer, the saloon was dry. No alcohol on the exposition grounds. Just a souvenir token and it wasn't even good for a drink! This piece was in Byron Johnson's collection at one time. He is a past president of the Token and Medal Society.

Interesting piece. It is obviously a promotional item for the realty company. The Treasury did not band notes with advertising. I suspect the top note and the the bottom note are real and the remainder are not actual notes. Out of curiosity, is the bundle think enough to be 100 bills?

The silver medals are worth melt plus whatever someone is willing to pay. The bronze medals run in the $15 to $25 range on Ebay depending on the demand at the moment (so some bring more at times). I was generally seeing the silver medals at $35 to $50 a year ago. Then silver went crazy, then it came back down. I haven't seen any recent listings that I have tracked. Is your Serra piece silver? We do like images on this site. Go ahead and post your pictures. We would love to see them.

San Carlos in the above list is the Carmel Mission. It is one of the medals in the series that we have not yet confirmed. The full name is Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo. It was founded in 1770/1771.

I think it is more "stopped posting." I've been adding to my library on a fairly regular basis. A few of mine include: The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint: How Frank H. Stewart Destroyed, And Then Saved A National Treasure by Leonard Augsburger and Joel J. Orosz (Whitman Publishing (2011)). Mormon Gold: Mormons in the California Gold Rush by J. Kenneth Davies and Lorin K. Hansen Granite Mountain Publishing Co., North Salt Lake City, Second Edition Medallic Portraits of Admiral Vernon by John W. Adams and Dr. Fernando Chao Kolbe & Fanning, Gahanna, Ohio 2010 Arizona Trade Tokens by Peter Spooner Privately published, Spiral bound. 2010 American Art Medals, 1909-1995: The Circle of Friends of the Medallion and the Society of Medalists (Studies in Medallic Art) by David Thomason Alexander, American Numismatic Society (2010) The Silver Coins of Massachusetts: Classification, Minting Technique, Atlas by Christopher J. Salmon American Numismatic Society (2010) [The Mass. book is gorgeous!] 100 Greatest Error Coins by Nicholas Brown Whitman Publishing (2010) Medals of Dishonour by Phillip Attwood and Felicity Powell British Museum Press (2009) The Rebirth of Antiquity by Alan M. Stahl Princeton University Library (2009) Coinage in the Iron Age: Essays in honour of Simone Scheers by Johan van Heesch and Inge Heeren (Editors) Spink and Son, London 2009 That's a partial list since my last posting.

So they must strike them when testing a new press, a composition, die alignment, or after adjusting a press for whatever reason.

Not the best picture (a candidate for reimaging), but one from my collection. I know nothing of its actual history:

Wow! Beautiful piece.

I like the Zurich 1902 piece. I love that soft blending into the field.