W&ET - Ask Mark Parker Vol. 34 August 2000

Ask Mark Parker

Vol. 34 - Aug. 2000

6TH SENSE
Q. Mark, I found this silver pin in a Buffalo, New York area park. It is engraved, "49 Regt. NYV Charles Stuber 6 Corps." Anything you could tell me about it, including its value, would be appreciated.
A. Your find is a Civil War corps badge, and a fine example at that. Military records indicate that its owner, Charles Stuber, enlisted at age 18 in Buffalo, New York on January 21, 1864, and mustered in six days later as a private in Company B of the 49th New York Infantry. In the ensuing 17 months his unit saw plenty of action- Wilderness Campaign, Spotsylvania, Ft. Stevens, Shenandoah Valley, Petersburg- but young Charles survived the war and was mustered out at Washington, D.C. on June 27, 1865. As for the badge, each Union Army corps had its own distinctive insignia: 1st, sphere; 2nd, trefoil (clover); 3rd, lozenge (diamond), etc.; the 6th, obviously, was represented by a simple cross, sometimes referred to as a Greek cross. The first badges were cloth, but soon metal badges began to be popular, including fancy silver and gold ones custom-engraved with the soldier's name, rank, and so on. These were usually privately purchased, either through sutlers or by mail, or received as gifts. Although 6th Corps badges are among the more common ones, all are highly prized. If genuine (and nowadays, that's a big if), yours could bring up to $1,500.

MAN OF LETTERS
Q. I'd like to know whether this Chicago Post Office "Foreman" badge is genuine and, if it is, its approximate age and value. It has a name and number stamped on the back, and a long, horizontal attachment pin with a rotating type catch.
A. From this distance, there's no way to be sure that it's genuine; however, the design or pattern of the badge is certainly authentic and, according to a specialist in postal service badges, it's c. 1930s. Assuming that it checks out okay on close inspection, expect a collector to offer around $150.

FIT FOR A QUEEN
Q. Here's a silver ring that I found near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The raised lettering reads, "RECUERDO DE LA 1492 - F + Y - 1893 ESPOSICION DE CHICAGO" and "EL ANILLO YSABEL." There are crowns above the F and Y. Inside the band, it's marked, "GORHAM M.F.G.CO REGISTERED,"with a lion, anchor, and Old English G, and "STERLING 1892."
A. The Spanish inscriptions translate, "Souvenir of the Chicago Exposition" (the World's Columbian Exposition, or World's Fair, held in Chicago in 1892-93) and "The Ring of Isabella." No doubt you already know that the dates mark Columbus's discovery of the New World, and its 400th anniversary; and that the crowned F and Y are the initials of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (Ysabel), who underwrote the historic expedition. Gorham, the ring maker, is a leading manufacturer of silver tableware, accessories, and novelties. Their familiar lion/anchor/G trademark had already been in use for half a century at the time of the expo, yet for some reason they didn't get around to officially registering it until the end of 1899. Now, then, we know Columbus did all right... but what about your discovery? Currently, it lists for $150.

HOLDIN' THE BAG
Q. Detecting in Brigham City, Utah, I came up with this baggage claim tag stamped, "O.R.R. & N. CO.-and-OR. SHORT LINE 34." Can you give me some history on it?
A. The initials stand for Oregon Railroad & Navigation Co. Chartered in 1879, it maintained hundreds of miles of rail and riverboat routes in the Northwest, and steamship operations from Puget Sound, Washington to San Francisco, California. Eventually, it came under control of the Union Pacific Railroad, and in 1910 was part of a merger resulting in the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Co., under authority of the Oregon Short Line. Oddly enough, the Oregon Short Line, which began in 1881, actually wasn't an Oregon railroad at all, operating instead in states such as Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho. It, too, was a Union Pacific entity after 1897. The tag probably was in use from that time until the early 1900s. Price? $300.

GOLDEN HARVEST
Q. After recovering this large Mexican medal, I had it tested for gold content. It weighs exactly 1-1/2 oz. and is 18K or better solid gold. Apart from that, I haven't been able to find out much about it. One side has a globe and ears of wheat, with the words "TRIGOS MEXICANOS PARA EL MUNDO"; the other has a hand holding grain above a map of Mexico, with "LA PRODUCTIVIDAD AGRICOLA AL SERVICIO DE MEXICO." It is dated 1970, and I believe that it was awarded by the Mexican government for wheat production.
A. Dragging down my well-worn Spanish dictionary once more, I believe the inscriptions translate roughly as follows: "Mexican Wheat for the World" and "Agricultural Productivity in Service to Mexico." I couldn't find a listing for yours, but a silver version of this piece is reportedly cataloged in Grove's Medals of Mexico, Vol. II 1821-1971 (#1098-A). The gold content is likely 90%, as in other Mexican Mint gold medals of that period. I contacted a couple of medals dealers for price estimates, and both indicated that collector interest, at least in the U.S., is rather limited. One suggests it's worth "barely bullion" (scrap gold value); the other, "bullion plus maybe 20%." Going with the generous appraisal, and an optimistic spot price forecast, that works out to $465 or so.

WRIST OF THE STORY
Q. I'd like to know the significance of the various charms on this bracelet. There are four round medals with coats of arms and names on them: Reims, Soissons, St. Mihiel, and Verdun. In between these are Maltese cross type medals with crossed swords and a head in the center. Below the clasp is a cross with a diamond and eagle on it. The metal is nonmagnetic and has a silvery finish, possibly silver- or nickel-plated brass.
A. This is a "sweetheart" bracelet from WWI, sent or brought home by a serviceman as a present for his girlfriend, wife, or other female relative. The four round medals represent cities in France, and were battle sites in the war as well. The medals between them are miniatures of the Croix de Guerre, or Cross of War, a French military medal awarded for bravery, not only to soldiers of France but also to their allies. Suspended from the clasp is a miniature U.S. Army Distinguished Service Cross (early French-type), second highest of all U.S. decorations (next to the Congressional Medal of Honor), and received for outstanding heroism against an armed foe. Of course, since the bracelet was a retail jewelry item, it doesn't necessarily follow that the soldier who presented it was himself a recipient of that prestigious award. John Conway, a specialist in 20th century militaria and related collectibles, puts your find in the $75+ price range.

Subscribe!

Top