scaupus
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Got my first sterling jewelry and first Barber dime Saturday, very exciting finds for me, from a site I'd been working recently. Sunday, I dedicated a couple hours to scouting new locations. I went to the first one, did a few exploratory sweeps, found a couple of clads, and a window hinge. I was really more interested in another site, so I turned to go back to my car, making a few sweeps on the way. Hit another signal and dug it up. It looked like the rusted top of a can with a logo stamped on it. I'd never heard of "Marmon" before. Something about it said "automotive" to me. The lid was unusually thick and heavy for a can lid. I was sleep deprived and had a headache and it was quite hot out, so maybe my natural curiosity was a little blunted and I just threw it in the bag and left to check other sites.
A couple hours later, I was driving to my Mom's for Mother's day dinner. As I was waiting at a light, I entered Marmon into my phone's google search box just to get an idea of what they made. The first link was wikipedia. The first line in the wikipedia page for Marmon, said it represented several related companies, the first being the Nordyke-Marmon Company that made mill equipment, from 1851-1926.
That was interesting for several reasons, but then I read the second line...the founder's sons expanded the business in 1902 under just the Marmon name to make cars, and that company survived after the mill equipment business was sold.
Marmon made about 250,000 cars in its life span, luxury models that cost over $5000 (a fortune at that time). Only about 250 survive today. I could find only one badge exactly like it on the web, and it was a reproduction.
The badge itself is about 1 5/8", it shows absolutely no corrosion, and judging from the nicks in it, does not have a base metal, so I think its sterling. The metal disk that the badge is mounted on is cast metal. A Marmon speedster named the Wasp won the first Daytona 500, I think in 1906 or then-abouts.
A couple hours later, I was driving to my Mom's for Mother's day dinner. As I was waiting at a light, I entered Marmon into my phone's google search box just to get an idea of what they made. The first link was wikipedia. The first line in the wikipedia page for Marmon, said it represented several related companies, the first being the Nordyke-Marmon Company that made mill equipment, from 1851-1926.
That was interesting for several reasons, but then I read the second line...the founder's sons expanded the business in 1902 under just the Marmon name to make cars, and that company survived after the mill equipment business was sold.
Marmon made about 250,000 cars in its life span, luxury models that cost over $5000 (a fortune at that time). Only about 250 survive today. I could find only one badge exactly like it on the web, and it was a reproduction.
The badge itself is about 1 5/8", it shows absolutely no corrosion, and judging from the nicks in it, does not have a base metal, so I think its sterling. The metal disk that the badge is mounted on is cast metal. A Marmon speedster named the Wasp won the first Daytona 500, I think in 1906 or then-abouts.
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