A Continuing Thread ~ Post Your Tokens, Medals, Exonumia Acquisitions

Hondo Boguss, this page shows a variety on which the text reads "Mid-South Fairs", and suggests that there may be more ("A dime irradiator occasionally took to the road."). It also reports, but does not show, a variety with the text "ORNL - UCNC - Oak Ridge - Neutron Irradiated".

64 years ago. . .

Very nice!

Thanks, HondoB. It happened to arrive in today's mail.

Is there an on-going TDIH thread in the CCF ?

Great token ctpbilly!

Another nice one ctpbilly!

Just found this thread. So here's my latest addition, which I hope someone finds of interest! I collect historical medals from this period too, but this is a medallet (more commonly termed 'badges' in the UK) of King Charles I of England. These were produced towards the end and after his reign to allow Royalists to show their support for the King at the time of the English Civil War.

These would have been worn on a cord around the neck, or by using the loops at top and bottom, sewn to clothing. As the war turned against the King and professing loyalty to the crown carried more risk, the badges became smaller, so that they could be concealed more easily. This one is quite small at 26mm x 20mm (1 in x ¾ in).

The war ended with the King's execution and 10 years of England and Wales, later along with Ireland and Scotland, being governed as a republic, before the monarchy was restored in 1660 and this is a memorial to Charles' death. Possibly by Thomas Rawlins and dating from around 1649, not at first sight particularly striking, but of great historical appeal to me.

Classed as Medallic Illustrations 344/196 (Platt Type A). The obverse is a relatively standard portrait of Charles, facing left and with his titles in the legend around. But what is interesting to me is the reverse.

Here we see a skull, a crown below and another, different in style above. At first this might be taken for a standard 'memento mori' since on either side is written GLORIA and VANITAS.

What tells us the story is however the legend that surrounds the image, which reads BEATAM . ET. ETERNAM . SPLENDIDAM . AT. GRAVEM which is almost a quote of Charles' last words on the scaffold, to the effect that he was about to relinquish a splendid, but burdensome crown (VANITAS) and instead receive a blessed and eternal one (GLORIA).

A message which reflects the symbols and message of the Eikon Basilike, a book purported to be a spiritual autobiography written by the King himself which was published on 9 February 1649, a mere 10 days after his execution.

I've only ever seen two others like this (one in the British Museum) so I'm very happy to have tracked this one down at last!