This says it is from the US Mint & It appears to me to be a token made for the 1st day that they used steam powered presses-(I thought it was earlier than the date ) - There are no seams on the edge & besides the 2 tiny rim nicks on the reverse it is in really good shape- I think uncirculated ,but who would circulate something like this ? Is this a real token ? I cant find any info on it- If anyone has any info I would appreciate it. Thanks- Oh yeah- this has been a great place to learn -
welcome to the forum. And, I believe that it is real, altho there may have been restrikes. Perhaps someone else knows more.
I am buy no means an authority on early coinage, but searching the reference book I have, I can not find any link to this. It is my layman's opinion that it is a token and perhaps even a token restrike as earlier mentioned by Treasurehunt!(the other Frank..LOL). Again..I have little if any knowkedge to if it is genuine or not...for you, I hope it is something really special!! But then again do not be dissapointed if it is not! Perhaps Doug will come along later and let us know what he thinks?? **********Edited by RickieB*********** Looks like it is real..nice call Treasurehunt! Here is a link I just found...http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-5827.html Here is a past auction at Heritage http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=427&Lot_No=81076&src=pr Sold for: $402.50 (includes BP) Bid Source: Live: Floor So I was curious and did a little research on a sale slabbed AU50 by Heritage! Nice Medal you have there!! RickieB
Do the edges show lettering, milling, or are they smooth? I've also read that the steam press's were installed in 1817 after the fire of 1815/6, but may not have come to full implementation until 1836. Take Care Ben
Thanks Still looking for any information. I have found one restrike large cent which was supposedly struck with the 1836 steam press but it was a give away token at the 2000 ANA convention. http://cgi.ebay.com/1836-ANA-Large-...ryZ11949QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
After a bit more searching I have figured out that this is a U.S. Mint Restrike Medal,</I> designed by Paquet. The orginals have a rim cud at 6:30 on the cap & ray side. & there is an re-engraved date 3/2 on the reverse. Oh well it is still really cool in my book .
A steam ENGINE was put into use at the mint in 1817 after the 1816 fire, but it was used to power the rolling mill allowing for the retirement of the horses that had previously been used to power the mill. Steam coining presses had to wait until the second mint and they were first used in 1836
I love threads like this. Some questions: 1836 is about the same time they started using "the third die" - the collar around the coin. Was this all part of one big techno-upgrade ? Was steam-pressing and collaring done at the same time ? How did they run the coining presses before steam - Screw presses ? What provided the power ? How much capacity (coins per day) did these upgrades provide ?
Horse power for the rolling mill, the screw presses were run by human muscle power to swing the lever arm of the screw. (Horse power for the presses may have been used in some European mints, but not at the US Mint.) And apparently the close collar actually was used long before 1836 The early reeded edge silver and gold coins were not reeded by Castaining machine but by the collar. Lettered edge coins are frequently found with blundered edges and overlapped letters. There are no reeded edge coins with partial reeded edges or overlapped reeds. In those cases where an edge anomaly is known it repeats on the same variety and in the same relative position with respect to the obverse and reverse devices. This would not be the case if the planchets were reeded in a separate step. And finally off-center coins do not have reeded edges. If they had been reeded before striking they should have. This collar may not have been a tight fitting as the ones later used on the steam press, but it was close enough to impress its details on the struck coin.
