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    Washington Medals 1850-1859


    Game Counters and Play Money



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      reverse

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    Baker 602C       Game Counter, Type 2           Lauer         Nuremburg

    Obverse:  GENERAL     WASHINGTON
    Reverse:   IN UNITATE FORTITUDO [below] SPIEL   MÜNZE .

    Gilt brass       Weight:  53.0 g   (3.43 grams)           Diameter:  22.1 mm           Reverse die alignment: 360°

    Comments:   This is one of a group of game counters produced by Ludwig Christian Lauer in Nuremburg, Germany in the mid to late 1860's (one variety, Baker 604 is signed LAUER and another, Baker 607L is dated 1855). The image of Washington is based on an 1817 print bu Giuseppe Longhi know in Germany through a copy engraved by G.G. Felsing in 1824. This shows a three quarter bust in civilian dress facing left (to Washington's right).

    This is a type two obverse, in which the bust is truncated before reaching the border of the token. The reverse shows an eagle with dropped wings holding an olive branch and three arrows in its talons. This variety lacks the U.S. shield in the eagle's breast, as found in several other varieties. Also on this variety Spielmünze is in smaller letters than on other varieties. The Latin motto on the reverse translates as "Strength in unity" while Spielmünze is German for "play money."

    Note: Unfortunately, the HTML symbol for an upper case U with an umlaut displays smaller than other upper case letters (as what is known as a small capital) Ü.

    Provenance:  Part of an anonymous donation consisting of 1100 tokens and medals covering the Nineteenth century, primarily up through the Civil War era.

    Reference: Rulau and Fuld, p. 237



    obverse

    500 dpi

    250 dpi

      reverse

    500 dpi

    250 dpi

    Baker 598C       Game Counter, Type 2           Lauer         Nuremburg

    Obverse:  GENERAL     WASHINGTON
    Reverse:   COMPOSITIONS * * * SPIEL-MARKE * * *

    Brass       Weight:  111.1 g   (7.20 grams)           Diameter:  27.3 mm           Reverse die alignment: 360°

    Comments:   This is one of a group of game counters produced by Ludwig Christian Lauer in Nuremburg, Germany in the mid to late 1860's (one variety, Baker 604 is signed LAUER and another, Baker 607L is dated 1855). The image of Washington is based on an 1817 print bu Giuseppe Longhi know in Germany through a copy engraved by G.G. Felsing in 1824. This shows a three quarter bust in civilian dress facing left (to Washington's right).

    This is a type two obverse, in which the bust is truncated before reaching the border of the token. The reverse shows an eagle with dropped wings holding an olive branch and three arrows in its talons. This variety lacks the U.S. shield in the eagle's breast. The motto on the reverse translates as "game counter."

    Provenance:  Part of an anonymous donation consisting of 1100 tokens and medals covering the Nineteenth century, primarily up through the Civil War era.

    Reference: Rulau and Fuld, p. 238


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