Blackpool Gigantic Wheel Medallion - Coin Community Forum

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I am curious as to the construction of this medallion - could it be an electrotype? It appears to be constructed from two pieces of embossed metal. It has a diameter of 38.2mm (1.5inches) and is 3.2mm (1/8 inch) thick (rim). The obverse incorporates the plain edge with the reverse seemingly inserted within the rim collar as evident in the photograph. It sounds dull and hollow (cardboard filled?) when tapped and is too light to be solid metal. It also has minor dents on both sides consistent with damage to thin metal sheet.
The obverse shows a typical Queen Victoria 'Jubilee Head' with the inscription in English.
The reverse with inscriptions "Auto-Music Company Ltd" and "Blackpool Gigantic Wheel" illustrates the wheel which was constructed in Blackpool, Lancashire in 1896 and subsequently dismantled in 1928. Several medallions with various images of the wheel were issued over the years from commemorating its construction to detailing its dismantling (with medallions made from metal scrap). The reverse image is similar to one used as the obverse on a smaller solid bronze medallion. The smaller solid medallion (32mm, reeded edge) has a description of the wheel on the reverse. While the solid medallions are reasonably common this larger medallion is the only one of its type I have come across.

This is the smaller solid bronze medallion.
Similar medallions to this (but dated) were also issued for the "Gigantic Wheel Earls Court" London between 1897 and 1905.
Interestingly a giant wheel of similar design, built in 1897, is still in operation in Vienna, Austria. It has had every second 'cabin' removed (or never installed), presumably to speed up the time consuming loading process which was a constant problem for the Blackpool wheel.

Can't help, but -

to the CCF!

Sorry no help here but just wanted to say its a cool looking piece :D

I generally like old medals like this and will usually pick them up if the price is right (for a cheapskate like me).

Henry Grueber's UK patent 12193 of 1894 gives details of how these pieces were made. The patent's title is "Improvements in the Manufacture of Medals, Medallions, and the like, and in the Materials employed therefor." The filling between the two bits of metal that make up the obverse and reverse varies, and the in the patent he says "I fill in with, or cause to be occupied by, any suitable solid or malleable substance, which may be cardboard, millboard, lead, pitch, or any adaptive equivalent therefor."

My specimen of this piece weighs in at at hefty 18.8g so is probably pitch filled.

It should be pointed out that the wheel only had thirty cars and not the thirty five depicted on the medallion. There were six loading stations, i.e. one fifth of the wheel. (The wheel at Earls Court had forty cars and eight loading stations.

In addition to the two pieces shown there was a third piece using the four generations die. This comes in at a very lightweight 4.7g so probably cardboard filled.

Thanks for the information tokenscot.
My medallion weighs in at around 17.5g. I recently purchased another one (very cheaply) purely for the fact it is pierced. It has yet to arrive but hopefully will give some insight as to what was used as the filling.

Hi tokenscot, my pierced token arrived today. It is identical in design to my Jubilee Head / Blackpool Gigantic Wheel medallion and weighs 18g. The piercing appears to show the medallion is filled with a grey metallic substance easily scratched with a needle which shows a white powdery oxidation similar to what could be expected from aluminium (or possibly a zinc alloy). I believe Henry Grueber also manufactured aluminium calendar medallions so would be familiar with its use. I found the Grueber "filled medallions" patent but can only get the title and basic information as the search result shows "Abstract not available for GB189412193 (A)". Do you have a copy that indicates whether aluminium (or a zinc alloy) was one of the filling materials listed under the patent?

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