A.w. Shaw. Engraved Columbian exposition half dollar

[timbobwey]

I found this coin while coin roll hunting in 2010. It has taken years to get any info on it, and I'm still trying to dig deeper. An editor from coinbooks.org published an article on it in his weekly newsletter with hopes that we may find more out about it. I figured I would post this in the coin forums to see what the good people of treasurenet think.

Here is a link
https://www.coinbooks.org/v22/club_nbs_esylum_v22n11.html#article11

 

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[huntsman53]

Possibly Arch Wilkinson Shaw engraving his' name and the date on the Commemorative coins and giving them away to promote himself!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_Wilkinson_Shaw

 

[timbobwey]

The only reason I disagree is because a 50 cent peice was a lot of money in 1893. And at the Chicago world's fair they sold them for $1 each. That was worth more than a weeks worth of groceries back then. To have the coins engraved on top of that it would have been extremely expensive. I do think shaw was the owner of this coin, but more than likely it was the only one. Plus I've searched all over the internet trying to find another coin with the same engraving. There are none out there.

 

[ToddsPoint]

He had his name engraved on the coin to show that he attended the fair. Gary

 

[Ol' Kentuck]

According ta Wiki, Arch Wilkinson Shaw would have been 16 years old on 4-5-1893, the date of tha engraving.

Tha Fair didn't open til May 1, so tha coin appears ta have been purchased almost a month prior ta the Fair.

Of tha 5M coins originally struck, there were a number of coins pre-sold. But tha demand was not as high as they had anticipated and by February, sales had dropped considerably. It was tha beginning of tha Panic of 1893, tha worst depression tha country had ever seen. Sales at tha Fair were disappointing as well, less 400,000 total were sold at tha premium 1$ price. Of tha remaining 4.6M coins unsold, over half were eventually melted and tha rest released into circulation at face value.

Taking all this into consideration, it's highly unlikely Arch Wilkinson Shaw purchased this coin. IF it belonged ta this A.W. Shaw, it's more likely that it was given ta him as a gift ta commemorate a special occasion like his Graduation from school or something similar. That's my guess anyway.

 

[timbobwey]

I do think it was probably a gift. As far as the date, maybe they ingraved it day-month-year. Not sure if that was common or not back then, but I know sometimes people do dates that way. That would make it May 4th 1893, and that would be the third day of the world's fair.

I'm not sure about why it was engraved, this coin is an all around mystery. I really hope to get more answers. I'm going to have to try and reach out to some of his descendants.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

When I returned to the coin collecting hobby - lost all my previous life in several years of my divorce - took a whole lot of beatings - her lawyer was paid to hate my guts.

But mine was certainly well away from being the shape of your half. Beautiful, but engraved by someone I'm not familiar with.

I'd do some more research on that half = I think it is beautiful, take NO low offers - if any.

 

[Ol' Kentuck]

Considering he went on ta become a big time entrepreneur and business management publisher, it could very well be tha first $1 he earned. Wouldn't that be neat.

Regardless, a very cool mystery find. Good luck with yer research.

 

[timbobwey]

Deepseeker, you had an engraved Columbian half as well? I haven't had any offers on it yet, I guess I wouldn't really know what would be considered a low offer on it. Trying to find out what this coin might be worth. I know it is in great condition, definitely a b.u. coin. I really should get it graded and slabbed.

Ol'kentuck, that would be very cool if it was purchased with his first dollar he made.

 

[xaos]

What is unusual to me is the way the date was written... 4 . 5 . 33

the "." is a very modern way to write the date...unheard of in 1933?

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Deepseeker, you had an engraved Columbian half as well?

No, mine is in AU condition, unmarked by anyone. Just something very neat to collect!

 

[timbobwey]

Xaos, where are you getting 1933? It's 1893

 

[Megalodon]

I do think it was probably a gift. As far as the date, maybe they ingraved it day-month-year. Not sure if that was common or not back then, but I know sometimes people do dates that way. That would make it May 4th 1893, and that would be the third day of the world's fair.

I'm not sure about why it was engraved, this coin is an all around mystery. I really hope to get more answers. I'm going to have to try and reach out to some of his descendants.

This could be a fun historical research project. Have you reached out to the local historical society where he would have been living at the time? Were any school awards given on either May 4 or April 5, 1893? I assume you have checked his birthdate? What was his religion and could there have been a ceremony or club membership of some importance? Could he have won some athletic competition or debate on one of those dates? I think your idea that it was either a gift or a presentation piece is the right track.

Nearly 40 years ago, I dug a beautiful silver child's bracelet - with the clasp open as lost and engraved with her name. In less than 10 minutes at the local library, I found that she had been born at the house in 1846. Both the house and locality were named after her family. That speed was unusually lucky. Reading the story of your half reminded me of that beautiful bracelet and now I want to research more about her life.

Wishing you luck in solving this nice mystery coin.

 

[timbobwey]

Megalodon,
I'm definitely going to keep trying to solve this. I have not yet contacted the local historical society where he was from. I will have to do this. He grew up in Jackson Michigan, which is only about an hour and a half away from me. I have tried digging up all kinds of info online from Jackson Michigan related to shaw, and have not found much info. You could be right, perhaps it was some kind if award. Thank you for the advice, and for sharing the story about the bracelet. That is awesome that you found it and that you found out about her.

 

[Megalodon]

Timbobwey,
I think the online research that you are doing is a good step - mostly because it is free and requires no travel. I would start the same way. But we can't fool ourselves about what is available online. Unless someone scanned the right historical documents, they won't be online. Microfilm of the local newspaper of the time could be a start. Much, if not most local history can be found at a historical society rather than online.

I look forward to reading more about your discoveries.

BTW, I used to record field data by day-month-year, but the month was always spelled out between the day and year. I was taught five decades ago to do this to separate numerals and try to keep from mixing up the day from the month in field notes kept in a waterproof "write-in-the-rain" notebook - with a #1 pencil. This was a ways before tablets etc.!

 

[xaos]

Xaos, where are you getting 1933? It's 1893

Yes, it is 93...still

Using a dot between numbers is very modern, not what you would see back then.

"5-3-93" or "5/3/93"

I used to record field data by day-month-year

Yes, the military does this, "5 May 93", so does most of Europe..

 

[timbobwey]

I didnt know. Thank you for the info. Do you think it was 1993?

 

[Megalodon]

I think it is unlikely the 93 would be other than 1893.

 

[xaos]

I think it is unlikely the 93 would be other than 1893.

I find no other examples from that time period where the date is shown with a "." symbol, its always "5-3-93" or "5/3/93"

 

[timbobwey]

Here is an example on a dollar coin from 1867. The month is spelled out, but the engraving artist did use periods in the date as well. Could quite possibly be the same person who engraved it. Periods after the day and year. You can see the clearly if you zoom in on them.