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Chateaux de Ramezay inauguration medal


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Am a long time numismatist (40 years) and have published an article on Canadian Large Cent varieties in the February 1989 issue of the Numismatist (US publication). I have had this medal for more than 20 years but could not find out anything in regard to it except as indicated by its inscription. I decided to Google the item. I was lead to this site. My questions are:

 

1. Is this item listed or referred to in any Canadian reference work on medals, Exonumia etc? If so, kindly indicate via email such works.

 

2. Is the item common, scarce or rare?

 

Trust my fellow numismatists may be of assistance.

 

SRS

 

Email: lhnumis@bellsouth.net

ramezayobv.jpg

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IMG_2573.jpg

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Obv. THE INAUGURATION OF THE CHATEAU DE RAMEZAY|LIBRARY & MUSEUM|9TH OF APRIL 1896.

Rev. CHATEAU DE RAMEZAY|BUILT IN 1704|MONTREAL

Pewter 34mm by C. Tison

 

The Château Ramezay is a museum and historic building on Notre-Dame Street in Old Montreal, opposite Montreal City Hall. Build in 1705 as the residence of then-governor of Montreal, Claude de Ramezay, the Château was the first building proclaimed as an historical monument in Quebec and is the province’s oldest private history museum. It has had many uses, prior to become the museum & library in 1896, it had been a school. Joseph LeRoux 1849-1904, the famous canadian numismatist, studied for 8 years in the building, then known as the Jacques-Cartier Normal School 1857-1882.

 

The reference work for Canadian medals is "The Canadian Coin Cabinet" by the above mentioned Joseph LeRoux & covers the period of 1492-1892(published 1892) & as you can see the obverse is dated 1896 which is just outside of that date range. All is not lost. because the reverse was used previously as the obverse of LeRoux#1517a the reverse of that medal being EXHIBITION SOUVENIR MONTREAL 1891/ P.N. BRETON NUMISMATIST, MONTREAL rarity 4.

 

I have found no other info on this medal, I think this medal would be rated as very rare, yours is the only other one I have seen. I have posted quite a few Canadian medals here on CoinPeople in both Exonumia & the Canadian Coin forum, in fact I have another one to post when I have some time. Hope this is of some help to you.

 

Welcome to the forum :ninja:

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Many thanks for the reply. Your reference to Breton got me to thinking. I remembered purchasing a book of his many years ago. After searching for hours, I found it. It is titled, "Popular Illustrated Guide to Canadian Coins, Medals &. &." by P. N. Breton. It was published in Montreal in 1912. As you may see in the attachment, the Breton storecard is item # 169 on page 75 and appears to be identical to the LeRoux # 1517a as indicated above.

 

It seems to me, that the medal that we have remained unknown to Breton as late as 1912. It seems likely that if he had known of it, he would have published it in 1912. It does however, also seem likely, that Breton may have known that the people in charge of the inauguration of Chateaux de Ramezay were considering using the same obverse as his own storecard. He might even have offered the die to them. Perhaps, the die was used along with the new reverse die and a few test strikings were made. If the new medal was rejected, this might account for its apparent rarity. Trust I haven't droned on too long.

 

If you may have additional information on the medal or if anything about it of interest comes your way, please get in touch on the forum or by email. With many thanks again and with kindest regards,

 

SRS

 

lhnumis@bellsouth.net

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LINK to "Popular Illustrated Guide to Canadian Coins, Medals &. &." by P. N. Breton online.

 

Thanks for the extra info, as you can see I found P. N. Breton's book online, could have saved you those hours of looking for the actual book, if only we had known. Nice to have meet you, if only in cyberspace :ninja:

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  • 4 years later...

Am a long time numismatist and have published an article on Canadian Large Cent varieties in the February 1989 issue of the Numismatist (US publication). I have had this medal for more than 20 years but could not find out anything in regard to it except as indicated by its inscription. I decided to Google the item. I was lead to this site. My questions are:

 

1. Is this item listed or referred to in any Canadian reference work on medals, Exonumia etc? If so, kindly indicate via email such works.

 

2. Is the item common, scarce or rare?

 

Trust my fellow numismatists may be of assistance.

 

SRS

 

Email: lhnumis@bellsouth.net

SRS has provided me with some additional info which he obtained from Daniel Gosling of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association (RCNA) in regards to this medal.

 

The Chateau de Ramezay Medals from Canadian Antiquarian and Numismatic Journal Third Series Vol I No 1 January 1897;

page 46

63. Breast plate and knipple cleaners.

A. Desroches Esq.

page 86 CASE 11 Canadian Medals &c.

11. The Desroches Medal. Inauguration of Museum, April 9, 1896.

TheDesrochesMedal-vert.jpg

 

 

 

Illustrated History of Coins and Tokens Relating to Canada by P.N. Breton

page 232-233 Biography of Alfred Desroches.

 

I had already noted that the medal shared the obverse with the Breton medal, the biography of Desroches by Breton states that Desroche twice sold his collection of coins & medals to Breton, so they were well acquainted which explains Breton allowing Desroches to re-use his obverse.

 

Apart from the one picture & description in Canadian Antiquarian and Numismatic Journal Third Series Vol I No 1 January 1897(the year after the medal was issued) it seems to have just disappeared, no auction sales or references.

 

How many were struck is an unknown, SRS & I have not been able to find any other examples or mention of this medal, except the one in the Ramezay Museum(if it is still there) & our ones, so it seems only a few were ever issued.

 

Here is an earlier medal issued by Desroches also by C. Tison

http://www.coinsandcanada.com/tokens-medals-misc.php?title=a.-desroches-numismate-montreal&id=944

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