Another medallion - big silver and rare!

bingbingbing

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Oct 15, 2019
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Finding a 1892 Columbus medallion and a Paris Exposition medallion in the same hole was crazy enough (see my prior post - two medallions same hole) - but I found a 1901 Pan-American Exposition medal - 40 on the Nox! Why we love our hobby!

Here's a description I found for it:
1901 Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, Lavin-TM103, Silver, 64 mm. The edge is marked GORHAM CO. on this impressive Hermon MacNeil designed medal.

This will be the first item I send to get slabbed as it is rare and valuable (only 20 or so know to exist - I've done some research on it since positing this yesterday) - can anyone provide me with any guidance? (I'm only ~1 year into this hobby!)

Thanks for looking!
 

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Upvote 26

lenmac65

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Three similar medals in less than a month; that is bizzare. Same general area? Congrats... can't wait to see number 4!
 

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bingbingbing

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all in the same area - first two were in the same hole - this one was ~3FT away ... very odd for sure.
 

jewelerguy

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things that make you go Hmmmm....
 

ArfieBoy

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Very nice medallion! Thanks for sharing with us!
 

PetesPockets55

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That's a honker of a medallion. Congratulations.

(Mackaydon is correct though about who the one in these images was presented to.)
 

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bingbingbing

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I know - pretty unbelievable - it was ~2-3 ft. away. I'm trying to track down any living descendants - no luck ... I'm going to check with the Farmington historical society ...
 

Erik in NJ

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Interesting story that's become even more interesting. So these medallions were only presented to a single individual? Best wishes in tracking the family down and learning more about how these items ended up in the ground. Please keep us updated on this story. :thumbsup:
 

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bingbingbing

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Right?! The Columbus medallion did not have his name on it - just the Paris and Buffalo medals - still crazy.
 

WaterScoop

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How deep were they? We’re they in a bag or box? Maybe someone buried themselves a treasure to get out at a later time.
Tell us the back story... Location... an old Victorian Home? Front Yard ? Side? Back? Next to a wall? Fence Post? Garden Area?

It is very curious that two medals would be together .

Cheers
 

A2coins

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Wow great job on that and the others hope theres lots more those are freakin sweet
 

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bingbingbing

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strange find indeed ...

Happy to elaborate on the back story!

So, in total, I actually have found 4 'medals' all in the same general area at this site. The house is run down (early 1800's) and in the town center (central MA) - it's on a smaller lot (~1/3 acre so not too large of an area to search). The Spanish and French medals were in the same hole (no box/container of any kind) and about 5" down. I found another medal near them (which I didn't post as it was from 1976 - a bicentennial for William Pitt, Earl of Chatham (NJ). Odd. I went back to the site to recheck the general area - I thought to myself that there was no way there would be a fourth, but fortunately, I found the Pan American Expo medal about ~3-4 FT away yesterday afternoon - I had searched the yard thoroughly (no silver coins - but several modern coins [naturally], a broken toy airplane, a '86 IHP, and a nice older button). All of the medals were in a 'garden bed' in very dry soil on the edge of the property ... I've (finally) learned to check these areas (took me an entire year into the hobby!) :laughing7:

Thanks for looking - doubt I'll ever top these finds, but will have fun trying!


Here's a pic of the 4th medal!
 

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Erik in NJ

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Hi,

Very cool story. Can you post a better pic of the front and back of that medal? Was it issued in 1976 to commemorate Chatham, NJ? There are a lot of Chathams. I see the settlement date of 1726, might the medal be from 1926 and a bicentennial for Chatham, MA?
 

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