Where can I find info on a Mint Medal? I need to find out if the medal I have is the one I have seen in one reference. It is the 1871 Emancepation Proclamation Lincoln medal. It belonged to a uncle who died in 1968 and my aunt received it , along with his coin collection. About 20 years ago she gave it to me. She had already sold most of his coins, at a fraction of their worth. I have tried to find info over the years but nothing. Tonight I was looking at the latest issue of the digital Coin World and saw an artical about this medal. It showed a picture of both the obverse and reverse of the medal. It is exactly like mine. BTW mine is bronze. There was very little info about the medal , but there mention of there being 366 bronze medals minted. BTW this medal was designed by Barber. I have never been able to learn how to post pictures so I can't show you the one I have. Sorry. Does anyone have any info on this medal or can tell me where I can find info? Did anyone read the artical in Coin World? Sorry this is so long. Sonny
Hi Sonny here is a link on how to upload pics http://www.cointalk.com/forum/t8566/ What sort of info are you looking for regarding the medal? If it is production related then you could allways contact the mint and ask them.
Hi De Orc. I need to find out if the one I have is the real thing. Its exactly like the picture in Coin World. Coin World didn't have much info on the medal. I can find no dealers, collectors, or anyone that knows anything about it. Aren't there people that collect mint medals? About all the mint could tell me is if they minted and how many were minted. As I said in the first post, I have had this about 20 yrs and have not found anyone that knows anything about it. Thank you for your reply and for your photo link. I have tried these links before and I have still not been able to posts picts. I guess its a senior thing. They say "you can't teach an old dog new tricks". Sonny
With a picture I think I could help you...but without a picture it's sorta tough. Many of the early (pre-1900) mint medals were restruck in the 40's, 50's & 60's. The bronze they were struck from is quite different and quite discernable, once you know what to look for. There are also different sizes of the same medal design. What is the physical size of the medal you have? Again a picture is worth a thousand words. You say it's exactly like the picture in Coin World. Do you have a link to that? Which issue of Coin World? or?? The Mint typically does not provide information on the quantity of medals struck. If it's an older medal, the Mint definitley won't be of any help. many mint medal records have been lost over the last 100+ years. If you have found a source at the mint for medal information, I'd be quite interesting in knowing that for my research and book I recently self published on "National Commemorative Medals of the United States Mint". If you can provide more info, pictures or links, I think I can help. :kewl:
With a little quick research on the net, here is maybe a comparison for yours.... 45mm in diameter (or approx 1.77") - dark chocolate bronze (If it's a light color bronze, it's a restrike and worth maybe $10) This one sold at Heritage (www.ha.com) for $690 in September of 2008. It was graded by NGC as MS-63... How does this compare to yours? Hopefully this helps some....hya:
Hi Cadmanco. Thats it. The exact medal except mine may have a very small amount of wear on the hair, from the container. Thanks alot. I,m not very good on the computer. I searched Heritage for it but didn't find it. Now everybody has the pictures, maybe someone will have more info on it. Now I have to figure out how to get it graded. Also, maybe put it on Heritage. Thank you again. Sonny
Here's the Heritage link... probably need access to see. http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=1100&Lot_No=28129&src=pr (hopefully that comes through okay) Here is their auction description, in case you can't see it on Heritage's site. 1871-Dated Emancipation Proclamation Medal, Julian-CM-16, MS63 NGC.</I> Bronze, 45 mm. The Medals of the United States Mint</B> reference indicates that these medals were first struck in 1871, and that the only gold piece struck went to the Pennsylvania National Guard (Gray Reserves) in December 1871. This select example displays semi-gloss medium brown surfaces. This is a lovely piece just barely kept from the next highest grade by some unobtrusive marks. Comes with an NGC Photo-Certificate and MS63 insert. (#661040) Here is the description from a previous auction (BTW of the same piece) from 2007, where it sold then for $805: U.S. Mint 1871 Emancipation Proclamation Medal</I>Abraham Lincoln Emancipation Proclamation Medal MS63 NGC.</I> Julian-CM-16. Bronze, 45 mm, struck by the U.S. Mint and engraved by William Barber. Obverse: Abraham Lincoln President United States around bust to the right. Barber below truncation. Reverse: Within a ornate boarder March 4, 1861, to April 15, 1865. Emancipation Proclaimed Jan. 1, 1863. In exergue: Medal series of the U.S. Mint 1871 J Pollock Director. The superb piece would fit nicely into anyone's Lincoln collection. (#661040) It is very critical to understand the difference in the color of the bronze. If a modern restrike (~60's) it defintely does not carry this value. They do look exactly the same otherwise.
Thanks for your help, Cadmanco. I'm going to have to think about this for awhile. Maybe I can find out how many were minted. I may not sell it for awhile. You said you wrote a book on mint medals, then I would think you are knowledgeable (sp) on the subject. Where can I get a copy of your book. It wouldn't hurt to learn something about mint medals. Thanks again. Sonny
My book is on Modern mint medals for the era ~1954 to 1982 with some exceptions, during which the US Mint did not strike Commemorative Halves. It is named "National Commemorative Medals of the United States Mint". I was also one of the co-editors of the recently re-released book on "So-Called Dollars". My site is at http://www.jtdean.com/USMedals/ Julian was the author of the book "Medals of the United States Mint - The First century 1792-1892" which shows attribution for your medal. Did you state that it was in an original box or holder? Depending, this could add nicely to the sale of the item. Again, I stress it must be of the dark chocolate bronze variety to be the piece we are discussing. One of the other co-editors of the above mentioned So-Called Dollar book is a very knowledgeable collector of the "early" US Mint medals. The Heritage prices are probably a pretty good guideline on a retail pricing, realizing the two prices I gave you were on the same piece being sold at two different times. They are not common, but need to be sold in the right market place to realize the best price. Having it authenticated/graded (too large to slab but they provide a photo certification) by NGC is the proper way to handle it. Other grading services probably won't handle it. PCGS typically avoids medals, with exceptions of course. Here are some mintages, per year, as stated by Julian. keep in mind, US medals were not restricted to being struck in only one year, and were struck typically in several or many years. 1871 (First year struck), 1-gold, 2-silver, 45 in bronze 1872 155 in bronze 1873 2-silver and 10 in bronze 1874 1-silver, 31 in bronze 1875 3-silver 1875/76 (fiscal years) 10 in bronze 1876/77 1-silver and 10 in bronze 1877/78 None 1878/79 10 in bronze 1879 thru 1883 None 1884/85 2 in bronze As you can see, after the first year, the requests to mint these was less. I did not dig beyond 1884/85. But up till then it appears that they struck only the 1 gold, 9 silver and 273 (if I added correctly). there could have been others struck in years following 1885, but this total probably encompasses most. :secret:
Thats interesting, Cadmanco. Do you collect medals? Do you think that, because of everybody desiring anything Lincoln this year, the price this medal would bring would be higher? Its a thought. I,m not sure, yet, what i'm going to do about this medal but I'm pretty sure I'm going to have it graded. Again, thanks for your help. Sonny
NGC, may actually be able to slab the piece now as well. 45 mm is well within the diameter range that thier large size holders can handle and now that they have recently introduced the extra thick versions it is quite possible that their slabs will hold it now.
Anyone have any idea where to find one of these in silver? Impossible? I missed this one. I think it sold for 4.5k. Not even sure what the price should be if I found one. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1871-ABRAH...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649
Does anyone know where I can buy this in silver? Is the UNC details worth 4.5k? I doubt anyone will respond, this is an old thread. Lol.
