paul wood

A visitor to the shop - a British coin dealer - identified these as being Christmas Cracker gifts from the 20's or 30's.

Apparantly they were made and put into small paper rolls - they were then the gift when the Cracker was pulled.

They are brass and the children used them for games - or, as pretend money.

We learn something every day !

Mervyn,

I am afraid that the coin dealer has it wrong. The first piece known as a "Birmingham Sovereign" is an imitation of a regal guinea, these were made in the early 19th century and the legends were changed from the correct ones found on the official issues in order to avoid potential forgery charges. They originally came in tubes of 50 or 100 and were used as gambling chips for card games and the like. The same is true for the model half sovereign, these were issued bearing various dates from the 1840's to 1870's and served the same role as the imitation guinea. The originals of these were issued in about 1841 as commemoratives for the birth of Albert Edward Prince of Wales, again, I suspect they were sold in 50's or 100's but unlike the earlier piece I have never encountered an original tube. As to value, I am afraid virtually nothing.

Hope this is of help,

All the best,

Paul

..still looking for this ribbon? I have boght a group of ribbons, there are also some Romanian and I think this one too...

If you have I would be most interested (I had use the type 2 as a standby).

Paul

Definitely a poor copy from the far east...

God those infernal Chinese fakers will be faking British WWII medals next (probably already have).

Paul

Andreas Thies' Aftab order back with hallmarks. Appears to have St. Petersburg city hallmark and maker initials ES. Seems like most of the Persian orders with jewels were made in Russia. Any one else have any ideas on which maker ES was? Thanks Mitya for the snap shots!

For that sort of period probably Edward Schramm who was a Faberge workman. First Russian Aftab I have seen. I thought they were mostly French made.

Paul

Paul

It the medal above Silver or some silver colored metal? Are there any hallmarks on it?

The Medal will be silver but it is unlikely (not impossible) to be hallmarked.

Paul

Thank you! Hope you like mine better?

Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything - when/how long and how many awarded, what they do sell for and so... it seems to be quite scarce?!

I'm used to life saving medals being not common, but in Germans states, the bigger the state, the more common the medal. Russia is so much bigger... is'n the medal comon?

Yours appears to be the the earlier Nicholas II type. While not common they are not hugely rare but it least your piece from the illustration appears to be genuine.

Paul

One more question Paul (or someone else)

What does "l.m.s." mean?

regards

Herman

It should be H.M.S. (Her Majesties)

Paul

Paul, thanks again for your information.

So i think this is really a special medal then.

regards

Herman

It is a perfectly nice medal. The expedition saw little actual fighting it was more a punitive expedition and like all frontier campaigns the tribesman were very good at disappearing into the mountains. The North West Frontier clasp to the India general service was awarded for 16 different campaigns between 1849-68.

All the best,

Paul

Are you sure that it is the later King Edward VII? Edward was quite an elderly man when he became king.

To my opinion, this is the later King George V, who was also named Prince of Wales before his coronation in 1910.

He gained the title Pince of Wales when his father Edward VIII was crowned in 1902.

The King of Spain is Alfonso XIII (1886-1941), who became king (in name) at birth (Infant King) and assumed Head of State in 1902.

see also: http://william-silve...nso-xiii-a82132

It is definitely George V as Prince of Wales. In fact Alfonso XIII was king prior to his birth (thankfully they didn't perform a coronation ceremony then). I didn't realise that George V was so short as Alfonso wasn't on the tall side

Paul

Thans for the quick reply.

The rim reads: 1369 COL R SERJT W WHEELER 1st Bn l.m.s. 19 th REGT

It seems to be imprinted.

Regards

Herman

Your man took part in the expedition against the Bazoti Black Mountain tribes 3-22 October 1868 under Major General A.T. Wilde, 720 men from the regiment received the medal.

All the best,

Paul

Hello,

i would really like to have some opinions of the experts on this one.

Their is a name on the rim.

Thanks in advance.

Herman

Herman, The medal itself looks fine. The naming on the rim will either be British Army if named in capitals, if named in running script it will be Indian army. If you can either tell me what it says on the edge or send a good scan I can tell you which of the many campaigns he served in.

Paul

Hey Nick,

Thanks again for all those Persian History documents! I feel like I am getting my masters in Persian studies.

Markus

I have handled imperial effigies for Nasr-ed-din, Muzzafar and Ahmed Shah and I know of a European collection that has a Muhammed Shah (a serious rarity!). The Fath Ali Shah is an absolute peach. Interestingly effigies made for Persian recipients tend to have coarser cut stones and frames than those given to foreigners, Probably rightly so as the imperial effigy was the most important part of the decoration for Persian recipients.

Paul

CLICK TO ENLARGE

The 1862 International Exhibition was the successor to the 1851 Great Exhibition in Hyde Park -

known as the Crystal Palace. The building was built especially for this later exhibition and,

similarly to the one in 1851 it showcased British developments - and also those from overseas.

Unfortunately, it came in for critiscism and was not a great success - the building was pulled

down in 1864. However, this was to London's benefit. The position that it had been placed-on

became the new Natural History Museum in Cromwell Road - and this has enthralled numberless

millions of young people who have visited over the years. Still one of my favourite places to visit.

Your medallion was probably to either one of the exhibitor's - or, in view of it's way of naming -

perhaps a thankyou to one of the organisers. Try looking his name-up in the 1862 Who's Who ?

Mervyn

The medals for the various participants of the 1862 exhibition came in 5 categories, Council Medal. Prize medal, Exhibitors Medal (for those who exhibited but did not win a prize) the Jurors medal and the Services Medal. The Services medal was award to those who were responsible for the setting up and organisation of the exhibition.

Paul

Ribbon red with black edges... but you know the Imperial Russians, always a bit vague with medal ribbons!

It looks a particularly unpleasant fake that I would not touch with a 10 foot bargepole.

Paul

The Order was indeed founded (inclusive the gold, silver and bronze medals) by King William II of the Netherlands in his capacity as Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He used the Order very much as a personal distinction, mainly to Dutch persons (some 2,600 Orders in 5 classes were awarded).

When King William III, who succeeded William II, died in 1890 the personal union was ended, and Luxumbourg had another Grand-Duke (Adolph of Nassau). Thus the Orde became a fully national order to Luxembourg.

Thanks for that Odulf, so it seems the Dutch between 1841-90 followed the British precedent with the Order of the Guelph between 1815-37 which was effectively a British Order. William IV was supposed to have said of some bigwig who bored him, Give him a Guelph and get rid of him.

Paul

Well, I'm very happy to report that shortly after posting this, the seller has refunded me some funds through Paypal while I keep the medal.

The end result is I've purchased a Fourth Class medal, albeit on the more expensive side.

It's easy to confuse the First Class and Fourth Class badges given they look so much alike, even more so when this is a very good quality example made by Lao Tian Li, a former Imperial cloissonne master craftsman.

Time and grime had also masked the gilding or lack thereof and It was only after cleaning the medal that it became obvious.

It was an honest and easy mistake by the seller and he has been very decent to resolve it quickly.

Well done Gavin, 74mm is the smallest I have ever seen a 1st-2nd Striped Tiger, Fourths vary from 64-67mm from my experience. Do you get to keep the sash?

All the best,

Paul

Looks very similar to mine.

Looks kosher to me.

Paul

Gents,

After pulling my hair out trying to find replacement ribbons for some obscure Orders, does anyone know of companies that do custom-made ribbons?

I've tried asking around and the minimum order always seems to be 100 metres!

I've tried matching ribbons from other medals but as you'd know, the shade is always a touch too light, the white stripes too narrow, etc, etc ...

Any pointers gratefully received.

Gavin

I know it's a very long shot have you tried the OMSA ribbon bank to see if they have anything suitable or know someone who can produce a sensible length.

Paul

Hi Gents,

Laslo says that the Brazilian vic, in both Type 1 and Type 2, has a wire suspension. I've recently come across this French site with pictures if all the Allies vics, and for Brazil it shows one with a cylinder suspension - http://www.medailles...-interalli.html

So, my question - is this a fake, a repro, a French-produced Unofficial type, or what? It has the proper diacritical marks on the C and A of Civilisacao.

Bill

Having only ever seen type 2s I know they always have a wire suspension but i have never seen a type 1 which I consider to be by far the rarest Victory medal (I have handled 6 Thai, 3 Brazil type 2 but never a Brazil type 1). Do any members own such a rare beastie,

Paul

The second one is unknown for you, this was published in 2006 in Romania, with the contribution of the Ministry of Culture and Cults, The Romanian National Museum and....The Grand Orient of Romania. The name of the book is "Freemasonry Medals and Badges - History and Symbolism". Unfortunately the book is only in Romanian language, but is extremely well illustrated as you can see. The text is fabulous, presenting a history of the Freemasonry in the world and as well in Romania. I know that the links of the Romanian Freemasons and the Grand Lodge of England are not that tide, the Romanian Masonry is more connected with the French Masonry, despite of this the book is worthy. It has 210 pages (77 are illustrated), hardcover, A4 format.

There is an exceptional Russian book produced in 2010, its ABEPC no 9 ISBN 978-5-7164-0581-3. It deals with world wide masonic insignia, well illustrated with text in Russian and English.

Well worth getting a copy.

All the best,

Paul

Thanks Paul......

Great explanation......

Did not think that there were any medals, learn something new every day......

Mike

On the medallic front there were gold medals issued as prizes for a) the Royal Military Academy Woolwich, b) Royal Military Academy Sandhurst © Royal Naval College Dartmouth. A friend of mine has gold Dartmouth medal with an unnamed D.S.C. to the recipient.

All the best,

Paul

I was wondering how they could reproduce legal tender - which it would be with the Monarch's Head. However,

after Brian's comment that they were intended as medallion giveaways - I saw that no face value is shown.

Anything with Edward's 8th. face on it seems to fetch a good price - except these ?

Mervyn,

Producing fantasy coins with Edward VIIIs head on it has been a long established business in the numismatic trade. The first was the London dealer Geoffrey Hearn who produced a series of fantasy commonwealth crowns in 1954. Then the London dealer Richard Lobel continued and expanded the trend in the 1980s and lastly the Patina collection produced around 2000. Original patterns and trial coins bearing the portrait of Edward VIIII issued dated 1937 are very sought after. One interesting story is the Edward VIII 12 sided 3pence, many of these were sent to vending machine companies in order to adapt their machinery, while they were supposed to be returned a very small number escaped and a few turned up in circulation. As a boy we all looked through our threepenny bits in the misguided hope of finding such a coin. One of these is worth many thousands of pounds. It is possible to get coins from British East and West Africa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea all bearing the name of Edward VIII but without his portrait and dated 1936.These are all reasonably common and can be purchased for no more than a few pounds, not bad for a genuine coin of Edward VIII. On a medallic note two Royal Victorian Medals were presented bearing the portrait of Edward VIII. One in a group was sold in the Spink sale of the Giordano sale in 2010 to Horace Crisp, the group realised £8,200

Paul

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen.....

Just picked up these today and thought you might like to see them.....

There were very few coins issued for King Edward VIII and no medals......

Both are silver, the one on the left is Australian but I do not know what denomination it would have been, the one on the right is the design of the Canadian Silver Dollar but without the word Dollar.....

Were these test strikings??????

What do you think.......

Mike

Mike,

These are all recent productions commissioned by a British dealer in 1999 and struck in 2000-2001. A whole group of these issue were included in a Spink auction no 1298 11 July 2001. It was titled the 'Patina' collection.

Great fun providing you didn't pay a huge amount for them but totally unofficial.

Paul

Greetings! Anyone can help me to identify this German Badge? Thanks!

My guess is Baden Artillery Regiment Jubilee badge. The F for Friedrich who was Grand Duke in 1856.

All the best,

Paul

"I had one dealer in Iraq asking to purchase my First Class for $4500.00 I passed; cause like Ed Haynes says I could never sell my babies!!"

I reckon that goes for most of us on GMIC, Lorenzo.

I, for one, intend to be entombed with my shiny baubles ... together with my concubines, eunuchs and hunting dogs ...

Gavin,

You stick with the eunuchs, I prefer the concubines, and a good hunting dog is good for giving you energy.

Paul