Awesome find at a old antebellum home in Louisiana

Hward56

Jr. Member
Jan 26, 2017
43
181
Louisiana
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Garrett AT Pro, Tesoro Sabre
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

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Upvote 34

Hunk-a-lead

Bronze Member
Dec 20, 2020
2,124
3,311
Kansas City
Detector(s) used
Nokta Legend, Predator Phoenix Shovel
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Found this 1853 New York Crystal Palace...H.B. West...Tray & Troy...souvenir token at my special permit antebellum home in St Francisville, La.
The plantation is rich in history going back to the late 1700's...
On a side note...I thought i actually had dug a gold coin due to its coloring...
AT Pro is my go-to machine...
that is one cool find, wtg!
 

Chilli

Hero Member
Feb 10, 2022
862
2,960
OZ
Detector(s) used
Xterra 705
Garrett 24k
AlgoForce E1500
Found this 1853 New York Crystal Palace...H.B. West...Tray & Troy...souvenir token at my special permit antebellum home in St Francisville, La.
The plantation is rich in history going back to the late 1700's...
On a side note...I thought i actually had dug a gold coin due to its coloring...
AT Pro is my go-to machine...
Nice token. 👍
 

Digger RJ

Gold Member
Aug 24, 2017
19,543
33,646
SW Missouri/Oklahoma
🥇 Banner finds
1
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2
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Minelab CTX 3030; Minelab Equinox 800;
XP Deus 2
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Found this 1853 New York Crystal Palace...H.B. West...Tray & Troy...souvenir token at my special permit antebellum home in St Francisville, La.
The plantation is rich in history going back to the late 1700's...
On a side note...I thought i actually had dug a gold coin due to its coloring...
AT Pro is my go-to machine...
Nice!!! Congrats!!
 

Randy Combs

Hero Member
Sep 16, 2013
678
1,003
FREDONIA KENTUCKY
Detector(s) used
Teknetics G2
Predator Raptor
Predator Phoenix
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Found this 1853 New York Crystal Palace...H.B. West...Tray & Troy...souvenir token at my special permit antebellum home in St Francisville, La.
The plantation is rich in history going back to the late 1700's...
On a side note...I thought i actually had dug a gold coin due to its coloring...
AT Pro is my go-to machine...
super good find
 

ANTIQUARIAN

Gold Member
Apr 24, 2010
12,841
27,385
Upper Canada 🇨🇦
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, Lesche Piranha 35 Shovel & 'Garrett Carrot'
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
That token is a great find 'H', it looks to be in incredible shape too. :thumbsup:
The history behind these 19thc exhibitions is very interesting.
Dave

The H.B. West Token
Among the thousands of showmen and exhibitors who were featured at the Crystal Palace, the specimens below advertised H.B. West’s troupe of trained dogs named ‘Tray’ and ‘Troy.’ Clearly a promotional piece, it is undetermined whether these emissions actually served as tenderable tokens for the public. Like other tokens of the day, it is certainly plausible that the token was used as an admission check for an act or a show. The first specimen is catalogued as Miller NY-949. Struck in brass, and measuring 29mm in diameter, the specimen possesses a reeded-edge.

New York’s Crystal Palace
New York’s Crystal Palace was built in the early 1850s as an exhibition hall. Inspired by London’s famous Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, entrepreneur and promoter Christian E. Detmold had a dream to erect a similar venue in the United States, where industrialists, scientists, artists, and visionaries could publicly exhibit their works, inventions, and technological innovations.

Made from glass and steel, its main building was topped with an enormous dome and flagpole, and featured an gigantic open-space atrium within its main entranceway. Visible for blocks around, the Crystal Palace complex featured other buildings as well. Standing 315 feet tall, the Latting Observatory was built next to it. Taller than Trinity Church, for its time the tower was the highest man-made building in the New York City. Octagonal in shape and constructed of wood and iron, the tower featured an observation deck, where curious venue-goers could climb atop and gaze unobstructed at the city below, and its surrounding boroughs in the distance.

On October 5th 1858 without warning, the entire property became an inferno. Residents from all over New York City came to the palace, and stood by in astonishment, as the property conflagrated. Within hours the beautiful complex made of glass and steel had burned to the ground. At its final end, all that remained was a twisted skeleton of steel and ashes. A public inquiry was undertaken to determine the cause of the firestorm. Its source had been found to be a service shed loaded with spare lumber that had caught fire. However, given that the venue was constructed mainly of glass and steel, the inquiry found it quite implausible that the entire structure would burn so quickly and completely to the ground.

Although never fully substantiated, it was summarily assumed that the cause of the fire was arson, aided with the help of accelerants.
 

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OP
OP
H

Hward56

Jr. Member
Jan 26, 2017
43
181
Louisiana
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, Tesoro Sabre
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
That token is a great find 'H', it looks to be in incredible shape too. :thumbsup:
The history behind these 19thc exhibitions is very interesting.
Dave

The H.B. West Token
Among the thousands of showmen and exhibitors who were featured at the Crystal Palace, the specimens below advertised H.B. West’s troupe of trained dogs named ‘Tray’ and ‘Troy.’ Clearly a promotional piece, it is undetermined whether these emissions actually served as tenderable tokens for the public. Like other tokens of the day, it is certainly plausible that the token was used as an admission check for an act or a show. The first specimen is catalogued as Miller NY-949. Struck in brass, and measuring 29mm in diameter, the specimen possesses a reeded-edge.

New York’s Crystal Palace
New York’s Crystal Palace was built in the early 1850s as an exhibition hall. Inspired by London’s famous Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, entrepreneur and promoter Christian E. Detmold had a dream to erect a similar venue in the United States, where industrialists, scientists, artists, and visionaries could publicly exhibit their works, inventions, and technological innovations.

Made from glass and steel, its main building was topped with an enormous dome and flagpole, and featured an gigantic open-space atrium within its main entranceway. Visible for blocks around, the Crystal Palace complex featured other buildings as well. Standing 315 feet tall, the Latting Observatory was built next to it. Taller than Trinity Church, for its time the tower was the highest man-made building in the New York City. Octagonal in shape and constructed of wood and iron, the tower featured an observation deck, where curious venue-goers could climb atop and gaze unobstructed at the city below, and its surrounding boroughs in the distance.

On October 5th 1858 without warning, the entire property became an inferno. Residents from all over New York City came to the palace, and stood by in astonishment, as the property conflagrated. Within hours the beautiful complex made of glass and steel had burned to the ground. At its final end, all that remained was a twisted skeleton of steel and ashes. A public inquiry was undertaken to determine the cause of the firestorm. Its source had been found to be a service shed loaded with spare lumber that had caught fire. However, given that the venue was constructed mainly of glass and steel, the inquiry found it quite implausible that the entire structure would burn so quickly and completely to the ground.

Although never fully substantiated, it was summarily assumed that the cause of the fire was arson, aided with the help of accelerants.
thanks so much for that info on the Crystal Palace
 

billb

Silver Member
Sep 23, 2010
4,678
10,436
New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Excalibur2,,silver sabre
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
That token is a great find 'H', it looks to be in incredible shape too. :thumbsup:
The history behind these 19thc exhibitions is very interesting.
Dave

The H.B. West Token
Among the thousands of showmen and exhibitors who were featured at the Crystal Palace, the specimens below advertised H.B. West’s troupe of trained dogs named ‘Tray’ and ‘Troy.’ Clearly a promotional piece, it is undetermined whether these emissions actually served as tenderable tokens for the public. Like other tokens of the day, it is certainly plausible that the token was used as an admission check for an act or a show. The first specimen is catalogued as Miller NY-949. Struck in brass, and measuring 29mm in diameter, the specimen possesses a reeded-edge.

New York’s Crystal Palace
New York’s Crystal Palace was built in the early 1850s as an exhibition hall. Inspired by London’s famous Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, entrepreneur and promoter Christian E. Detmold had a dream to erect a similar venue in the United States, where industrialists, scientists, artists, and visionaries could publicly exhibit their works, inventions, and technological innovations.

Made from glass and steel, its main building was topped with an enormous dome and flagpole, and featured an gigantic open-space atrium within its main entranceway. Visible for blocks around, the Crystal Palace complex featured other buildings as well. Standing 315 feet tall, the Latting Observatory was built next to it. Taller than Trinity Church, for its time the tower was the highest man-made building in the New York City. Octagonal in shape and constructed of wood and iron, the tower featured an observation deck, where curious venue-goers could climb atop and gaze unobstructed at the city below, and its surrounding boroughs in the distance.

On October 5th 1858 without warning, the entire property became an inferno. Residents from all over New York City came to the palace, and stood by in astonishment, as the property conflagrated. Within hours the beautiful complex made of glass and steel had burned to the ground. At its final end, all that remained was a twisted skeleton of steel and ashes. A public inquiry was undertaken to determine the cause of the firestorm. Its source had been found to be a service shed loaded with spare lumber that had caught fire. However, given that the venue was constructed mainly of glass and steel, the inquiry found it quite implausible that the entire structure would burn so quickly and completely to the ground.

Although never fully substantiated, it was summarily assumed that the cause of the fire was arson, aided with the help of accelerants.
That token is a great find 'H', it looks to be in incredible shape too. :thumbsup:
The history behind these 19thc exhibitions is very interesting.
Dave

The H.B. West Token
Among the thousands of showmen and exhibitors who were featured at the Crystal Palace, the specimens below advertised H.B. West’s troupe of trained dogs named ‘Tray’ and ‘Troy.’ Clearly a promotional piece, it is undetermined whether these emissions actually served as tenderable tokens for the public. Like other tokens of the day, it is certainly plausible that the token was used as an admission check for an act or a show. The first specimen is catalogued as Miller NY-949. Struck in brass, and measuring 29mm in diameter, the specimen possesses a reeded-edge.

New York’s Crystal Palace
New York’s Crystal Palace was built in the early 1850s as an exhibition hall. Inspired by London’s famous Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, entrepreneur and promoter Christian E. Detmold had a dream to erect a similar venue in the United States, where industrialists, scientists, artists, and visionaries could publicly exhibit their works, inventions, and technological innovations.

Made from glass and steel, its main building was topped with an enormous dome and flagpole, and featured an gigantic open-space atrium within its main entranceway. Visible for blocks around, the Crystal Palace complex featured other buildings as well. Standing 315 feet tall, the Latting Observatory was built next to it. Taller than Trinity Church, for its time the tower was the highest man-made building in the New York City. Octagonal in shape and constructed of wood and iron, the tower featured an observation deck, where curious venue-goers could climb atop and gaze unobstructed at the city below, and its surrounding boroughs in the distance.

On October 5th 1858 without warning, the entire property became an inferno. Residents from all over New York City came to the palace, and stood by in astonishment, as the property conflagrated. Within hours the beautiful complex made of glass and steel had burned to the ground. At its final end, all that remained was a twisted skeleton of steel and ashes. A public inquiry was undertaken to determine the cause of the firestorm. Its source had been found to be a service shed loaded with spare lumber that had caught fire. However, given that the venue was constructed mainly of glass and steel, the inquiry found it quite implausible that the entire structure would burn so quickly and completely to the ground.

Although never fully substantiated, it was summarily assumed that the cause of the fire was arson, aided with the help of accelerants.
Thanks again for the great information
 

njrelicgairl

Sr. Member
Jul 1, 2013
488
911
warren county NJ
Detector(s) used
Whites coin master and Vanquish 540
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
That token is a great find 'H', it looks to be in incredible shape too. :thumbsup:
The history behind these 19thc exhibitions is very interesting.
Dave

The H.B. West Token
Among the thousands of showmen and exhibitors who were featured at the Crystal Palace, the specimens below advertised H.B. West’s troupe of trained dogs named ‘Tray’ and ‘Troy.’ Clearly a promotional piece, it is undetermined whether these emissions actually served as tenderable tokens for the public. Like other tokens of the day, it is certainly plausible that the token was used as an admission check for an act or a show. The first specimen is catalogued as Miller NY-949. Struck in brass, and measuring 29mm in diameter, the specimen possesses a reeded-edge.

New York’s Crystal Palace
New York’s Crystal Palace was built in the early 1850s as an exhibition hall. Inspired by London’s famous Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, entrepreneur and promoter Christian E. Detmold had a dream to erect a similar venue in the United States, where industrialists, scientists, artists, and visionaries could publicly exhibit their works, inventions, and technological innovations.

Made from glass and steel, its main building was topped with an enormous dome and flagpole, and featured an gigantic open-space atrium within its main entranceway. Visible for blocks around, the Crystal Palace complex featured other buildings as well. Standing 315 feet tall, the Latting Observatory was built next to it. Taller than Trinity Church, for its time the tower was the highest man-made building in the New York City. Octagonal in shape and constructed of wood and iron, the tower featured an observation deck, where curious venue-goers could climb atop and gaze unobstructed at the city below, and its surrounding boroughs in the distance.

On October 5th 1858 without warning, the entire property became an inferno. Residents from all over New York City came to the palace, and stood by in astonishment, as the property conflagrated. Within hours the beautiful complex made of glass and steel had burned to the ground. At its final end, all that remained was a twisted skeleton of steel and ashes. A public inquiry was undertaken to determine the cause of the firestorm. Its source had been found to be a service shed loaded with spare lumber that had caught fire. However, given that the venue was constructed mainly of glass and steel, the inquiry found it quite implausible that the entire structure would burn so quickly and completely to the ground.

Although never fully substantiated, it was summarily assumed that the cause of the fire was arson, aided with the help of accelerants.

That token is a great find 'H', it looks to be in incredible shape too. :thumbsup:
The history behind these 19thc exhibitions is very interesting.
Dave

The H.B. West Token
Among the thousands of showmen and exhibitors who were featured at the Crystal Palace, the specimens below advertised H.B. West’s troupe of trained dogs named ‘Tray’ and ‘Troy.’ Clearly a promotional piece, it is undetermined whether these emissions actually served as tenderable tokens for the public. Like other tokens of the day, it is certainly plausible that the token was used as an admission check for an act or a show. The first specimen is catalogued as Miller NY-949. Struck in brass, and measuring 29mm in diameter, the specimen possesses a reeded-edge.

New York’s Crystal Palace
New York’s Crystal Palace was built in the early 1850s as an exhibition hall. Inspired by London’s famous Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, entrepreneur and promoter Christian E. Detmold had a dream to erect a similar venue in the United States, where industrialists, scientists, artists, and visionaries could publicly exhibit their works, inventions, and technological innovations.

Made from glass and steel, its main building was topped with an enormous dome and flagpole, and featured an gigantic open-space atrium within its main entranceway. Visible for blocks around, the Crystal Palace complex featured other buildings as well. Standing 315 feet tall, the Latting Observatory was built next to it. Taller than Trinity Church, for its time the tower was the highest man-made building in the New York City. Octagonal in shape and constructed of wood and iron, the tower featured an observation deck, where curious venue-goers could climb atop and gaze unobstructed at the city below, and its surrounding boroughs in the distance.

On October 5th 1858 without warning, the entire property became an inferno. Residents from all over New York City came to the palace, and stood by in astonishment, as the property conflagrated. Within hours the beautiful complex made of glass and steel had burned to the ground. At its final end, all that remained was a twisted skeleton of steel and ashes. A public inquiry was undertaken to determine the cause of the firestorm. Its source had been found to be a service shed loaded with spare lumber that had caught fire. However, given that the venue was constructed mainly of glass and steel, the inquiry found it quite implausible that the entire structure would burn so quickly and completely to the ground.

Although never fully substantiated, it was summarily assumed that the cause of the fire was arson, aided with the help of accelerants.
 

njrelicgairl

Sr. Member
Jul 1, 2013
488
911
warren county NJ
Detector(s) used
Whites coin master and Vanquish 540
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
That token is a great find 'H', it looks to be in incredible shape too. :thumbsup:
The history behind these 19thc exhibitions is very interesting.
Dave

The H.B. West Token
Among the thousands of showmen and exhibitors who were featured at the Crystal Palace, the specimens below advertised H.B. West’s troupe of trained dogs named ‘Tray’ and ‘Troy.’ Clearly a promotional piece, it is undetermined whether these emissions actually served as tenderable tokens for the public. Like other tokens of the day, it is certainly plausible that the token was used as an admission check for an act or a show. The first specimen is catalogued as Miller NY-949. Struck in brass, and measuring 29mm in diameter, the specimen possesses a reeded-edge.

New York’s Crystal Palace
New York’s Crystal Palace was built in the early 1850s as an exhibition hall. Inspired by London’s famous Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, entrepreneur and promoter Christian E. Detmold had a dream to erect a similar venue in the United States, where industrialists, scientists, artists, and visionaries could publicly exhibit their works, inventions, and technological innovations.

Made from glass and steel, its main building was topped with an enormous dome and flagpole, and featured an gigantic open-space atrium within its main entranceway. Visible for blocks around, the Crystal Palace complex featured other buildings as well. Standing 315 feet tall, the Latting Observatory was built next to it. Taller than Trinity Church, for its time the tower was the highest man-made building in the New York City. Octagonal in shape and constructed of wood and iron, the tower featured an observation deck, where curious venue-goers could climb atop and gaze unobstructed at the city below, and its surrounding boroughs in the distance.

On October 5th 1858 without warning, the entire property became an inferno. Residents from all over New York City came to the palace, and stood by in astonishment, as the property conflagrated. Within hours the beautiful complex made of glass and steel had burned to the ground. At its final end, all that remained was a twisted skeleton of steel and ashes. A public inquiry was undertaken to determine the cause of the firestorm. Its source had been found to be a service shed loaded with spare lumber that had caught fire. However, given that the venue was constructed mainly of glass and steel, the inquiry found it quite implausible that the entire structure would burn so quickly and completely to the ground.

Although never fully substantiated, it was summarily assumed that the cause of the fire was arson, aided with the help of accelerants.
I wonder if any thing was salvaged from it? And was kepted in a museum some where? Just a thought. That place sounds amazing. If it doesn't burn down, it would have made a nice place to viset.
 

ANTIQUARIAN

Gold Member
Apr 24, 2010
12,841
27,385
Upper Canada 🇨🇦
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, Lesche Piranha 35 Shovel & 'Garrett Carrot'
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I wonder if any thing was salvaged from it? And was kepted in a museum some where? Just a thought. That place sounds amazing. If it doesn't burn down, it would have made a nice place to viset.
Through my research, I found that where the Crystal Palace originally stood, later became ‘Bryant Park.’ :thumbsup:
 

Last edited:

Gare

Gold Member
Dec 30, 2012
7,456
14,030
Canton Ohio Area
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2
Detector(s) used
Presently using Deus 2's & have Minelabs, Nokta's Tesoro's DEus's Have them all . Have WAY to many need to get rid of some
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Found this 1853 New York Crystal Palace...H.B. West...Tray & Troy...souvenir token at my special permit antebellum home in St Francisville, La.
The plantation is rich in history going back to the late 1700's...
On a side note...I thought i actually had dug a gold coin due to its coloring...
AT Pro is my go-to machine...
Amazing find thank you for showing us.
 

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