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I still have all mine from when I was a kid. They're still mostly worthless.

 

2014 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders
Bronze US Mint Medal





This 1.5 inch heavy bronze medal is a duplicate of the Congressional Gold Medal honoring the volunteers of the 17th Bombardment Group, led by Lt. Col. James Doolittle during World War II, who made the first strike against Japan on April 18, 1942.
The top–secret mission called for the raiders to take off from the deck of the USS Hornet (CV–8) in 16 B–25 bombers. From 450 miles outside of Japan, bomb select Japanese targets and then fly to safety in unoccupied areas of China. The operation was risky, as medium bombers had never before flown from a carrier, and sailing so far into enemy territory was dangerous. The wing tips had a clearance of only 4 feet from the "island" of the flight deck and they had only a 400 foot runway.

Each of the sixteen B25 bombers had five member crews. Each had specific targets, bombing oil storage facilities, factory areas and military installations.
Dwindling fuel supplies, however, prevented the crews from reaching the designated friendly airfields, forcing them to ditch their aircrafts at sea, bail out or crash–land in China. One crew flew to the Soviet Union, where its members were held as prisoners.
Others were captured by Japanese occupied territory and executed.
In all of the 80 members of the raid 69 survived.
Thanks to the heroic efforts of the Chinese, most of the Doolittle Raiders evaded capture.

The obverse design features the North American B–25B Mitchell launching off the USS Hornet (CV–8), 16 stars representing the 16 flight crews that made up the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders.

The reverse design features B-25B Mitchell aircraft approaching their target with four patches representing the four squadrons (34thM, 37th, 89th, and 95th) that make up the 17th Bombardment Group.

 

2018 WANS 45th Anniversary Elongated Peso
Williamsport Area Numismatic Society



I post here on CoinTalk to let CT members know about where and when the Williamsport PA show is every year. It is a great show. Last year was the best ever.

This is a "One of a kind" elongated coin. There was only one of the elongated coins rolled on a Mexico 1 Peso. I bought it during the coin club auction one night.

Our Williamsport PA coin club had 500 uncirculated 1973 US cents elongated for complimentary handouts to all who enter the upcoming coin show on July 28 2018 along with the free door prize ticket that is drawn every hour during the show.
( Good prizes just for showing up )

When we ordered these, a few special items were included as a bonus.

5 special sets containing a US cent, dime, nickel, quarter and a SBA dollar.
These were packaged like a mint set in cello and 4 more sets remain in the treasury for future plans.

But I got the only "one of a kind" in the whole lot and there are no others.
This is also one of the very few elongated coins of any kind that I own.

 

1972 Babe Ruth
Longines Symphonette
Sterling Silver Medal





The Curse of the Bambino was a superstition evolving from the failure of the Boston Red Sox baseball team to win the World Series in the 86-year period from 1918 to 2004.
This misfortune began after the Red Sox sold star player Babe Ruth, sometimes nicknamed as "The Bambino", to the New York Yankees in the off-season of 1919–1920.
Before that point, the Red Sox had been one of the most successful professional baseball franchises, winning the first World Series and amassing five World Series titles.
After the sale, they went without a title for decades, even while the Red Sox won four American League championships from 1946 to 1986, as the previously lackluster Yankees became one of the most successful franchises in North American professional sports.
The curse became a focal point of the Yankees–Red Sox rivalry over the years.
Talk of the curse as an ongoing phenomenon ended in 2004, when the Red Sox came back from a 0–3 best-of-seven deficit to beat the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series and then went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals to win the 2004 World Series.

These are popular medals with both collectors of medals and sports memorabilia.




1969 Babe Ruth
National Commemorative Society
Franklin Mint
.925 Sterling Silver

Babe Ruth "The Bambino"




Sorry, still in cello but it's very nice!





My 1952 Topps Look N See
No 15 Babe Ruth
I have the complete set of 135 cards, this is the "key card" of the set and mine is in well above average condition. It is certainly worth a couple/few hundred dollars.

 

1964 Ty Cobb
Georgia Statehood Bronze Medal
Medallic Art Co.





Tyrus Raymond Cobb Dec 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961
He was nicknamed The Georgia Peach, and was an American Major League Baseball outfielder.



He was born in rural Narrows, Georgia.
Cobb spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, the last six as the team's player-manager, and finished his career with the Philadelphia Athletics.
In 1936 Cobb received the most votes of any player on the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, receiving 222 out of a possible 226 votes. No other player received a higher percentage of votes until Tom Seaver in 1992.
In 1999, editors at the Sporting News ranked Ty Cobb third on their list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players".
Ty Cobb had a temper and was a fighter both on and off the field, even challenged umpire Billy Evans and arranged to settle their in-game differences through fisticuffs under the grandstand after the game. Members of both teams were spectators, and broke up the scuffle after Cobb had knocked Evans down, pinned him and began choking him.

Batting average .367
Hits 4,191
Home runs 117
Runs batted in 1,938
Stolen bases 892

On September 11, 1985, Pete Rose broke Ty Cobb's all-time hits record with his 4,192nd hit, a single to left-center field off San Diego Padres pitcher Eric Show.
Rose was a switch hitter and is the all-time MLB leader in hits 4,256.

On August 8, 1905, Cobb's mother fatally shot his father with a pistol that his father had purchased for her.
Court records indicate that Mr. Cobb had suspected his wife of infidelity and was sneaking past his own bedroom window to catch her in the act. She saw the silhouette of what she presumed to be an intruder and, acting in self-defense, shot and killed her husband.
Mrs. Cobb was charged with murder and then released on a $7,000 recognizance bond.
She was acquitted on March 31, 1906.
Cobb later attributed his ferocious play to his late father, saying, "I did it for my father. He never got to see me play... but I knew he was watching me, and I never let him down."

 

Something fishy

1972 circa Longines Symphonette Blue Pike .925 Silver medal



The blue walleye (Sander vitreus glaucus), also called the blue pike, is a subspecies of the walleye that has been critically endangered in the Great Lakes since the 1980s. Until the middle of the 20th century, it was a commercially valuable fish, with about a half million tonnes being landed from about 1880 to the late 1950s, when the populations collapsed.

The fish was endemic to lakes Erie and Ontario of the Great Lakes region of North America, including the interconnecting Niagara River, but most especially to Lake Erie. There are verified reports of occasional catches of this rare walleye/sauger cousin yet today.

This medal in error shows a "Silver Pike" a close relative to the Northern Pike and scarce fish as well. It is sometimes called a "Blue Pike" and I have been in a boat with my father and a guide in Lake Sharbot Ont. when a very healthy and large one was caught. Unlike the Northern Pike, this fish was immediately identified by our guide when it jumped several times after being hooked.



1979 America's Natural Legacy ATLANTIC SALMON
Longines Symphonette Sterling Silver Medal



The average size of Atlantic salmon is 28-30 inches long and 8-12 pounds after two years at sea. Although uncommon, adults can grow to be as large as 30 pounds.
Atlantic salmon have a relatively complex life history that includes spawning, juvenile rearing in rivers, and extensive feeding migrations on the high seas. As a result, Atlantic salmon go through several distinct phases that can be identified by specific changes in behavior, physiology, and habitat requirements.

The Atlantic salmon is an anadromous fish, typically spending 2-3 years in freshwater, migrating to the ocean where it also spends 2-3 years, and then returning to its natal river to spawn.
Suitable spawning habitat consists of gravel or rubble in areas of moving water. Eggs hatch in March or April and become fry.
Fry remain buried in the gravel for about six weeks. The fry emerge from the gravel about mid-May and start feeding on plankton and small invertebrates. Emergent fry quickly disperse from nests (called redds) within the gravel. They develop camouflaging stripes along their sides, and enter what is termed the parr stage.
Parr habitat, often called "nursery habitat," is typically riffle areas characterized by adequate cover, shallow water depth, and moderate to fast water flow.
Salmon parr spend 2-3 years in freshwater and then undergo a physiological transformation called smoltification that prepares them for life in a marine habitat.
Atlantic salmon leave Maine rivers in the spring and reach Newfoundland and Labrador by mid-summer.
They spend their first winter at sea south of Greenland.

After the first winter at sea, a small percentage return to Maine while the majority spend a second year at sea, feeding off the southwest or, to a much lesser extent, the southeast coast of Greenland. Some Maine salmon are also found in waters along the Labrador coast.
After a second winter in the Labrador Sea, most Maine salmon return to rivers in Maine, with a small number returning the following year as what is referred to as three sea winter fish.



1971 St. Anthony of Padua
Franklin Mint Bronze Medal



Wherefore on a day Saint Anthony being in Rimini, where was great company of heretics, desiring to bring them back to the light Antony of the true faith and to the path of virtue, preached unto them for many days, and disputed of the faith of Christ and of the Holy Scripture: but they not only gave no consent unto his holy words, but therewithal, as men hardened and stiff-necked, would give no ear unto him.

Inspired of God, Saint Anthony went one day to the river-side hard by the sea; and standing thus upon the bank betwixt the river and the sea, began to speak after the manner of a preacher sent by God unto the fishes:

"Hear the word of God, O ye fishes of the sea and of the river, since the infidel heretics refuse to hear it."

And when he had thus spoken, forthwith there came unto him to the bank a multitude of fishes, great and small and what between, that never in that sea nor in that river had been seen so great a multitude; and they all held up their heads above the water and all stood attentive towards the face of Saint Anthony, one and all in much great peace and gentleness and order; for in front and more a-nigh the bank stood the smaller fish, and behind them stood the fish of middle size, further behind where deeper water was the greater fishes stood.
Therewith the fishes being thuswise set in order and array.
and
Saint Anthony of Padua is also the Catholic Patron Saint for finding lost things.



This is NOT where the expression 'Holy mackerel' originated. LOL

 

1994 Tunaman's Memorial
Coinarama San Diego Silver Medal



The Tunaman's Memorial, honoring those in the San Diego tuna fishing industry who lost their lives at sea is located in Shoreline Park on Shelter Island in San Diego Bay, California.

This memorial sculpture is a symbol of the courage and determination of the men of the tuna fleet that once operated in the Pacific from its base in San Diego Bay. The statue represents fishermen of different ethnic backgrounds - Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Slavic - who were engaged in this fishery.
It dedicated in October 1988. Artist is Franco Vianello.

The Port of San Diego contributed the granite base and installation. The bronze sculpture weighs 9,000 pounds and stands 21-feet to the tip of the fishing pole. Its inscription reads:
Tunaman's Memorial Honoring those that built an industry and remembering those that departed this Harbor in the Sun and did not return.

This is the Silver version of which only 70 were minted.

 

1973 Country Christmas
Proof sterling medal





What I like about this medal is the Norman Rockwell style picture of Dad or Grandpa and his boy dragging home the Christmas tree. Very reminiscent of my early Christmas's as a kid and I love those whitetails on the run on the dated side.
I don't know how many of these were minted but this earlier annual Holiday medal is one of a run from the 70's and 80's from all I could find out. This one in particular is always a favorite and not always so easy to find.

Some frown on Franklin Mint medals, and yes, some are rather boring or poorly executed in subject, artistic quality and strike.
Others however are very beautiful.
I have no problem collecting the better Franklin Mint medals, and this one gets my approval.

This arrived in a hard plastic case with label.
It is about 1.5 inches in diameter and .925 Sterling Silver.



I also have the bronze

1973 "Country Christmas"
Proof bronze medal





This was one of 4 medals that were encapsulated in Christmas cards in 1973. It is bronze and made from the same dies that my silver proof version was made. There is a little more info on the image with the inside of the Christmas card I included here.

The medal was sculpted by Jane Lunger from a design by Joseph Aita.

 

1837 Feuchtwangers Composition
One Cent Hard Times Token



Hard Times Token 268
Die Pairing is Obverse 6 and Reverse G as best I can tell from a diagnostic webpage written by Aaron Packard. The Rarity factor is R-3.
Please correct me if I am wrong.

How many of these are known to exist is not too important to me. But I'd still like to know what R-3 means in this case and what the total mintages were for these?
I have wanted one of these for many years and finally got this one that has an honest bit of wear but still is a very nice addition to my collection.
I suppose it is in VG condition.

 

1900's Bull & Eye
No Cash Value Trade Token



I have no idea what this was used for or who made it but suspect it is a US trade token. About the size of a small cent and struck in copper.

I have seen this identified as a South Saint Paul, Minnesota Token since listing it in the album.

 

2 1/2¢ Merchants Token
Unknown

Possibly a Billiards, Saloon, or Amusement Token.

 

1838 Loco Foco
Hard Times Token





In 1834, an economic downturn on the English stock market brought "hard times" to both Canada and the United States. However, the event that defines the start of this era in the USA was a clash between the Bank of the United States and President Andrew Jackson in 1832.
The Bank of the United States was a semi-private institution, the invention of Alexander Hamilton, and precursor to the Federal Reserve.
It was slated for renewal in 1836, but Jackson didn't wait. He withdrew US Treasury money from the Bank of the United States and deposited it in local banks.
The Treasury had an embarrassment of riches, about $17 million in surplus gold and silver. Also, the US government was without debt. However, when the Bank of the United States closed, credit collapsed.

Coinage was scarce and hoarded, political activists and merchants created these 1-cent tokens to take up the slack.
The fact that most types of Hard Times Tokens can be found today in grades from Fine down to Good indicates that they circulated in trade.
The 'Mint Drop' drop reverse on Hard Times Tokens refers to the US Mint. Thomas Hart Benton was a southern pro-hard-currency senator who talked about the virtues of hard currency so much they used to call him "Old Bullion"

The name "Locofoco" derives from locofoco, a kind of friction match or self lighting cigar.
It originated when a group of New York Jacksonians used such matches to light candles to continue a political meeting after Tammany men tried to break up the meeting by turning off the gaslights.

Never a national party, the Locofocos reached their peak in 1840, when President Martin Van Buren and Congress passed the Independent Treasury Act, which fulfilled a primary Locofoco aim: complete separation of the federal government from banking.

In the 1840 election, the term "Locofoco" was applied to the entire Democratic Party by its Whig opponents, both because Democratic President Martin Van Buren had incorporated many Locofoco ideas into his economic policy, and because Whigs considered the term to be derogatory.
In general, Locofocos supported Andrew Jackson and Van Buren.
The use of "Locofoco" as a name for the Democratic party continued well into the 1850s, even following the dissolution of the Whigs and their reformation as the Republican Party.

 

I sure hope my "wordy posts" don't bother you guys any.
Some of the material I post is of my own wording, other information is re-worded a bit from other sources. None of the info I have posted is strictly copywrited.

 

1794 CORNWALLIS
One Penny Conder Token





On October 19, 1781, General Charles Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown Virginia.
The Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle of the American Revolution.
At the formal surrender ceremony, General Cornwallis did not attend pretending to be sick. He sent General Charles O'Hara, to surrender his sword to George Washington.

After the Revolutionary War he was appointed in February 1786 to serve as both Commander-in-Chief of British India. He oversaw the consolidation of British control over peninsular India.

in 1792, he became Marquess Cornwallis in recognition for his performance in the Third Anglo-Mysore War. Cornwallis returned to England in 1793.

 

I would put your token at F-12 or perhaps F-16 based upon the sharpness of the denticles. These were notoriously weakly struck and one cannot rely on the details of the breast feathers or edge of the wing. Many have deep scratches or other damage. Yours is very nice.

Here are photos of a 6-I that I was fortunate to have added. It has a tiny bit of PMD on the reverse that is not too distracting.

I've been given opinions that this one is XF-AU.

Z

 

Anticipating arrival of the following.

Does anybody know it's maker?

Z

​

 

I was so happy to at least add one to my collection, if it's fine with you, then it's fine with me, hee hee!
Yours is very very nice! Do you have a three cent?

Maybe some clues will be on the edge of your "Fraternity Animal House Medal" when it arrives? Hallmarks?

 

No, I wish . . .that was my first as well.

Z