Masonic Tokens and Medals
The Magic Power of Numbers medals
White metal, 51.3mm
Bronze, 51.3mm
1880 Egyptian Obelisk Medalets
The Egyptian
Obelisk is a 220 ton, 69 foot tall single piece of red granite which
still stands in Central Park near the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Although nicknamed Cleopatra's Needle it was actually erected 1000 years
before her reign by Thutmosis III (1479-1425 BC). In 1877 the Khedive
of Egypt offered this as a gift to the United States as a goodwill
gesture and to help attain economic aid for his country. The obelisk was
transported to the U.S. in 1880 but was not actually stood in place
till January of 1881. The cornerstone was laid in October of 1880 with
full Masonic pomp and ceremony; over 9000 Masons paraded up Fifth Avenue
with an estimated crowd of 50,000 spectators.
A recent letter
(January 2011)
to the Central Park Conservancy and New York City Mayor Michael
Bloomberg from the
secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities,
Zahi Hawass, has threatened to remove the obelisk and return it to Egypt
if better care is not taken of it. The issue is whether acid rains and
the weather conditions in New York city are eroding the surface and
erasing the heiroglyphs.
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Marvin 712, Rulau unlisted, silver
IMAGE NEEDED
There was a group of medals
placed in the cornerstone of the Statue of Liberty by the Masons and
records indicate that a silver example of this medal was among them.
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Marvin 712, NY-NY 63, copper, 34.3mm
Marvin 712, NY-NY 63A, gilt brass, 34.3mm
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Marvin 712, Rulau unlisted, brass (66.76% copper, 33.24% zinc),
34.3mm
This piece was originally described as gilt brass but analysis indicates it is brass. Do gilt brass pieces exist? |
Advertising card for Vaseline
Marvin 712, NY-NY 63B, white metal, 34.3mm
Rulau only list copper, gilt brass, and white
metal varieties for this medalet; Marvin list silver, brass, copper and
tin. He also has "bronzed" in the description after copper so I am not
sure if it indicates "bronzed copper". Rulau does not indicate any
rarities for these pieces and values them equally. Both the copper and
white metal seem somewhat scarce. The brass example pictured above is
the only one I have seen and seems to be much rarer. I have not seen a
gilt brass or silver example.
Rulau does not
attribute it to George H. but a footnote in Marvin reads "The dies were
cut by Lovett of New York, and the pieces were sold to be worn in
procession when the corner stone of the base was laid with appropriate
ceremonies by M.W. Grand Master"
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Loading the obelisk into the Steamship Dessoug
Olive Branch No. 39 Medalet
Marvin 288, first reverse, silver, 34.3mm
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Marvin 288, first reverse, bronze, 34.3mm
Marvin 288, first reverse, copper, 34.9mm
Marvin 288, first reverse, white metal, 34.3mm
Marvin 288, first reverse, gilt brass (61.27% copper, 34.54% zinc, 4% gold), 34.3mm
Marvin 288, first reverse, brass, 34.3mm
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Marvin
attributes these medalets to George H. and states they were struck in
silver, copper, bronze, and white metal. A Bangs & Co. Auction
catalog of 1878, in a somewhat confusing entry, also list brass and
gilt. A footnote in the text says two of the silver were struck with
blank reverses - one engraved with the initiation date of Thomas Warner,
the member of the Olive Branch who had commissioned these pieces, and
one with the names of the eight individuals who were "the founders of
the Old Round House". I have not seen either of these. A different Bangs & Co. Auction catalog from 1878 had the following listing: If it is true that only two sets were struck in gilt and brass that may be the reason Marvin was not aware of them. There is no way of telling from the listing which reverse die these were but the examples with the second reverse are much scarcer than the first.
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Marvin 288, second reverse, silver, 34.3mm
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Marvin 288, second reverse, bronze, 34.3mm
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Marvin 288, second reverse, copper, 34.3mm
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Marvin 288, second reverse, white metal, 34.2mm
The same auction
catalog as above may indicate brass and gilt for the
second reverse also.
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1875 Masonic Temple Dedication Medalet
Masonic Hall, corner of 6th Ave. and 23rd St., New York City
The cornerstone for this magnificent building
was laid on June 8, 1870. The financial panic of 1873 caused a delay but
finally on June 2nd, 1875 the building was dedicated - the final cost
$1.279 million! The dedication ceremonies were also magnificent. The
Committee of Transportation had arranged with the railroads to transport
members to New York at half fare. A procession of over 25,000 Masons
marched through the streets of the city, each with its own band or two.
Platoons of mounted police brought up the rear.
By the turn of
the century what had been considered a masterpiece of architecture was
now seen as passe`. A fire in 1883 had done extensive damage and the
income that was anticipated from retails shops on the ground floor and
rental on semi-public rooms did not materialize. The building was
dismantled in 1911 and a new temple constructed in its place.
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Marvin 37, silver
Marvin 37, copper
Marvin 37, bronze, 31.3mm
Marvin 37, white metal, 31.2mm
Marvin 37, unlisted in brass, 31.3mm
Muling with Sage's Masonic Medalet No. 1 die
Marvin 303, silver, 31.2mm
Marvin 303, copper, 31.3mm
Marvin 303, brass, 31.4mm
Muling with Wood's Hollandesche Loge die
Marvin 37A, copper, 31mm
(image courtesy of Stacks Bowers)
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100th Year of Our National Independence / Masters Carpet mule
Marvin 278, GW-874, Baker 293, silver, 32mm
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Marvin 278, GW-874, Baker 293A, copper, 31.4mm
Marvin 278, GW-874, Baker 293, silver, 32mm
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Marvin 278, GW-874, Baker 293A, copper, 31.4mm
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Marvin 278, GW-874, Baker 293C, brass, 32mm
General Lafayette / Masters Carpet mule
Marvin 280, silver, 31.5mm
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Marvin 280, bronze, 32mm
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Marvin 280, copper, 32mm
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Lake City Lodge No. 27 Medalet
Obverse: Lake/City,/Fla./G.H.L within a beaded circle, Lake City Lodge No. 27 + outside circle. Reverse: A plumb, level and square with all-seeing eye above. In the original text Marvin states they were struck in brass and copper; a hand written note in my copy says "I have this in silver, brass, copper and bronze". |
Marvin 290, silver, 28mm
(image courtesy of Tom Carson)
Marvin 290, copper, 28mm
(on line image)
Marvin 290, bronze, 28mm
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Marvin 290, brass, 27.8mm
Washington Bust reverse, GW-841, Baker 310A, white metal, 28mm
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The reverse is found with 3 different Washington dies and cataloged as Baker 307, 308, and 309. Marvin did not seem to be aware of these. |
Hopkins Lodge No. 180 Medalet
Marvin 301, silver, 20.9mm
An 1882 catalogue of the Charles I. Bushnell collection
states that only 10 were struck in silver
Marvin 301, copper, 20.9mm
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Marvin 301, brass, 21mm