Large Lithuanian Token

[Bigcypresshunter]

Found this bronze token in my old finds box on Thanksgiving visit to parents home. I believe this was given to me by my Grandfatherwhen I was a kid. Grandparents on my Mom's side were refugees from Lithuania. Can anyone ID? It says New York Metallic Co. on side of token, or something like that but pic did not come out. Under the prezidentas is the date 1919.

 

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[dg39]

I believe it is the gentleman pictured.
DG

http://www.president.lt/institution/istorija/1

I think it is Antanas Smetona The first president.
Presidential commemorative Coin.

 

[elle]

I just found it in my Lithuanian book...
wait I have to translate it.

 

[elle]

Yes..it's Antanas Smetona.
Book shows exact front and back of this medal...
one of many coins and stamps honoring Lithuanian presidents.
I'll send you pictures...but the caption says:
Amerikos lietuviu isleistas medalis A. Smetonai pagerbti.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Thank You dg39 and crab. I need to study Lithuanian history. He was the first and apparently the only president before the Russians took over. He escaped to Germany, then Switzerland, only to die in a Cleveland fire. Does anyone know where this coin was made and when?

 

[elle]

I'm still waiting for more information about the value...
but the coin celebrates a significant point in the country's history...
in 1919, independence just achieved...and yes, only to loose it once more the following years
to come.
Coin was made by Lithuanian-Americans honoring the freedom and this president.
I'm trying to find out exactly how many were made and in circulation.

 

[elle]

Lithuanian Token Update--Researching medals in general

Big cypress hunter, the picture of your token may not be the only one in existence.

This medal of Antanas Smetona, the first President of the State of Lithuania,
was designed most likely, in late 1918, after he had just signed the country's Declaration of Independence.
He began office on April 4, 1919.

The medal was made by the prestigious Medallic Art Co. of New York City, founded in 1903, and which now exists in Nevada under a new owner.
What's interesting..... this company, on it's website, says it cannot give information of its past minting and identification because thousands were produced.

But that's not true. After researching links through the New York Public Library for Medallic Art, I came across an article about a library employee who began collecting pictures and images in 1929 for the library's "clip file." She included thousands of pictures from Medallic Art Co., along with past minted images(the company was six blocks away and used library as "research site").
Around 35 years ago, a Medallic Art employee was sent to photograph the archived medal designs in the NYPL. He
even supposedly typed each medal's size, name, location, year, compostion, and client.
I read that the data, since then, is now in the firm's database in Nevada.

There's a good chance detailed information on this medal was documented because it was minted only ten years before these files began at the NYPL. It's ashame if private companies can't be helpful and compassionate to the linkage of the past...the history that one holds in a small piece of medal. It's fortunate to have socities that specialize in collectibles, but research could be done so much quicker if the company who made a piece of artwork only reveal...........

I'm confident we'll get more info about your medal because there are many still-living Lithuanian/Americans of that era.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Thank You crab, for your research. I will search Medallic Art Co.

I guess the value is not that important because I will not sell it. I will keep it in the family as a remembrance of my relatives that suffered and died in Soviet prison and for my Grandparents who escaped to America, my Grandmother esp. who married at age 14 to assure her passage.

 

[saraz100]

Maybe i can help you. I am lithuanian. This medal quite rare and valuable I think, it disigned by lithuanian sculptor Petras Rimša, these medals are created i dont know but i think in 1919 Smetona, other medals 1925 Didysis Vilniaus seimas, 1930 Vytautas didysis and etc.. you can see here this medal and other this sculptor medals.

https://www.google.lt/search?q=rims...UoAQ&dpr=1#tbm=isch&q=rimsos+medalai&imgdii=_

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Maybe i can help you. I am lithuanian. This medal quite rare and valuable I think, it disigned by lithuanian sculptor Petras Rimša, these medals are created i dont know but i think in 1919 Smetona, other medals 1925 Didysis Vilniaus seimas, 1930 Vytautas didysis and etc.. you can see here this medal and other this sculptor medals.

https://www.google.lt/search?q=rims...UoAQ&dpr=1#tbm=isch&q=rimsos+medalai&imgdii=_

rare and valuable?

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Thank you saraz100. I have been away for a while. I will look into it.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Yep thats the token but the site is gone it wont come up so I cant read about it or get a value. I might sell if the price is right.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I have been offered $150 for it.

 

[Mackaydon]

BCH, my friend from the swamp......
Scroll down on this site to get some good meaning to the medal--and enhance your sales pitch when you wish to sell.
https://books.google.lt/books?id=Dz...TAB#v=onepage&q=Antanas Smetona medal&f=false
Don.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I havent been online for many months but someone sent me a PM offering to buy it.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Yep that's it thanks Mackaydon. I wonder what the value is.

 

[Mackaydon]

BCH,
You can start a Free Trial here:
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antanas-smetona-1st-president-110787295
and see what one sold for a few years ago.
Don....

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

BCH,
You can start a Free Trial here:
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antanas-smetona-1st-president-110787295
and see what one sold for a few years ago.
Don....

That's it again. Anybody here have a Worthpoint subscription? I think in all out of free trials.