Ran across an interesting "George Soley" / Lord's Prayer medal . . . . .

@fretboard , I have the feeling that you are the best SME on this topic.

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One of the many exonumia "rabbit holes" I have found myself falling into has been the World of the tiny Lord's Prayer / George Soley medals. Picking up, appreciating, and researching these really does take one into an "Alice in Wonderland" world.

Documentation on these seems to be fragmented according to all I have read here Their creation seems to be spread across much of the 1800's. I don't even know 1/10th of what more knowledgeable members here know about these, and research really is a "one pill makes you smaller" experience.

Above is a Lord's Prayer medal that I found unusual and intriguing. In my research, I have seen lots of Washington's, Columbian, and Architectural obverses. This one however, is the first I have encountered.

At the top of the undated obverse is The All Seeing Eye - a familiar device found across much of our currency from the founding of our nation up until today. Popular with the "Illuminatti . . . . . "

In the center an image of the Triple Link Fellowship - a familiar logo for the IOOF or International Order of Odd Fellows.

At the bottom of the obverse is the Skull and Crossbones - a familiar device of pirates, poisons, "memento-mori" themes, and some attribution to the "Illuminatti" . . . . .

This piece has a weakly struck reverse and some environmental damage, but most of the original gold gilt remains.

I am interested in finding out more about this piece. Has anyone seen it's equal?

Z

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@potty dollar 1878 I’m waiting for you to post your Lord’s Prayer cent.

 

Can't find the pictures although my profile pic tells the story.

 

The skull and X-bone has a strong tie to Yale University. just saying.

 

Can we see the entire slab?

 

@ZoidMeister
"one pill makes you smaller"
Sounds like a reference to Jefferson Airplane "White Rabbit" song

 

And to the rabbit hole as well.

Z

 

No label on it yet. It's a self slab. I posted these particular pictures because they came out best focus and contrast wise. Photos on a dark background were terrible.

Posting the whole slab insert doesn't give any better view.

Z

 

Super rare George Soley prayer Token, nice one! Value, I have no idea. There's a few Soley collectors on Collectors Universe coin forum. Unfortunately, rare doesn't always mean valuable but you already know that anyways. I collected Soley Prayer Tokens for a number of years and I have a small album of his medals and tokens right here on CT. He bought the first coin press from the US Mint in 1875 and he traveled with that huge coin press to various shows throughout the Eastern US. If memory serves me right, he died in 1908, I used to have a pic of his headstone but unfortunately I've lost it. He also, got called to the carpet for making his prayer Tokens by the SS, check out the pic! I have definitely not come across one like you have at all, that's a great find! Here's a pic of three Prayer Tokens I bought a few months ago and I haven't placed them in my album yet.

https://www.fi.edu/history-resources/coin-press

 

I forgot to add that George Soley, along with the Barbers and Key families were some of the first die sinkers in the US and they were all employees of the US Mint. Hopefully that pumps up interest and makes my collection valuable! j/k I'll likely donate it to some organization who can show it off!

 

I need to get some photos taken of the other half dozen or so Soley medallette's that I've accumulated, but here is a photo of my first - complete with original ribbon (so the seller told me).

Z

 

Just to give folks an idea of just how TINY these little pieces of history really are . . . .

Z

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This is my Lord's Prayer!!!

 

So, after I posted the original medalette in the first post here and elsewhere, I was contacted by a guy who had a "few" Lord's Prayer tiny tokens. Many of them look like they are cut from the same mold as the George Soley pieces above.

He sent me photos of everything he owned with prices. They numbered over two dozen pieces. I picked out the 10 or 12 I thought I could afford and let him know that I was interested in those. He said he wanted to sell whatever I didn't take on fleaBay.

After I told him what I was really interested in, he said, "Why don't you take the whole lot of these for $70 more . . . . "

How could I say no?

Anyway, they arrived yesterday. I have a LOT of photo taking and cataloging to do, but here are a few of the first pieces I unwrapped and did a photo session with.

@potty dollar 1878 / @CoinJockey73 , you've been tagged.

Z

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This one is pretty common, but it is un-holed, which makes it really rare in my book.

Z

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I don't have the actual pic, but i found the thread. It's not a Soley.
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/interesting-penny.377498/

 

That would go perfect with mine although I already know the answer lol.

 

You can always send me yours, as a thank you, for all the nice stuff I've sent you. Bet you never thought of it that way, huh?

*edit
Sorry @ZoidMeister. Hijacking over.