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Commems Collection Classic: 1937 Battle Of Antietam 75th Anniversary - Models Vs. Coins

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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
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commems's Avatar
United States
12253 Posts
 Posted 02/14/2023  7:40 pm Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add commems to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
I recently posted about the National Antietam Commemoration and mentioned that the coin's sponsor - the Washington County Historical Society - began advertising for the coin ahead of the Mint striking and delivering the coins to them. (You can read the post here: 1937 Battle Of Antietam 75th Anniversary - National Commemoration.) In its early promotional press releases and advertisements, the Society used photographs of the preliminary coin models created by William Marks Simpson to present its commemorative piece vs. struck coins. The early models had not yet completed review by the Commission on Fine Arts or been tweaked per its suggestions. As such, the models imaged do not precisely match the struck coins.

Certainly the differences are not significant, and shouldn't change one's overall opinion of the coin's design, but they are somewhat noticeable upon close inspection.

I've made a list of the differences that I've found, but decided to make it a "Spot the Differences" game and see what others can find. I'll wait until Thursday (February 16, 2023) at or after 6:00pm (Eastern) to post my list - maybe (hopefully!) it will be "old news" by that point!

What differences do you see?

1937 Battle of Antietam 75th Anniversary Coin Models
Commems-Collection-Classic:-1937-Battle-Of-Antietam-75th-Anniversary---Models-Vs.-Coins
(Image Credit: American Numismatic Association. The Numismatist. May 1937. Fair Use.)

1937 Battle of Antietam 75th Anniversary Half Dollar
Commems-Collection-Classic:-1937-Battle-Of-Antietam-75th-Anniversary---Models-Vs.-Coins Commems-Collection-Classic:-1937-Battle-Of-Antietam-75th-Anniversary---Models-Vs.-Coins



Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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hokiefan_82's Avatar
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 Posted 02/14/2023  8:08 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add hokiefan_82 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Interesting, though I'm never very good at "spotting the differences".

I'll start with the font differences of the text. The trees on the reverse seem to be fuller on the minted design. The obverse portraits seem to be larger compared the the model (and possibly lower relief?), and the buttons on McClellan's coat are different.

The dots between the words "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "HALF DOLLAR" were removed, and dots are added before and after the "E" and "UNUM" of the motto.
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My U.S. Classic Commemorative Complete Set: https://www.NGCcoin.com/registry/co...sets/278741/
My U.S. Fractional Note Set: https://notes.www.collectors-societ...eSetID=34188
Edited by hokiefan_82
02/14/2023 8:10 pm
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Dearborn's Avatar
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 Posted 02/14/2023  9:50 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Dearborn to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
well Gen george B McClellan's goatee is pointier on the bottom coin. Also the font is larger and fatter. (I see many other differences as well, but I'll save them for others to identify) fun search game. thanks.
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 Posted 02/15/2023  05:49 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add I6609 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
The general s names on the obverse side was raised up to be closer to the busts it also looks like the reverse design was scaled down just a touch to get the design out of the letters
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nickelsearcher's Avatar
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 Posted 02/15/2023  05:55 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add nickelsearcher to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Fun idea @commems. The Washington Post has one of these 'spot the differences' every Sunday, which I always skip since I lack the visual acuity and patience to play.

That said - it appears that the model uses dots to separate the reverse edge legend and date where the coin uses an object shaped more like a triangle.
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Coinfrog's Avatar
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 Posted 02/15/2023  08:56 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Coinfrog to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I have the patience, but not the eyesight.
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eaglebub7's Avatar
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 Posted 02/15/2023  12:22 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add eaglebub7 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Font change as mentioned
Stars 1, 4 and 5 rotated slightly
Button reduction on McClellan coat, from 3 to 2
Beard shape as mentioned
dots added and subtracted and, reverse change to triangle shape. dots added to EPU and Burnside Bridge
Tree arrangement and shape
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jbuck's Avatar
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 Posted 02/15/2023  12:30 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jbuck to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Very interesting!

I see what Hokie sees. That and the final image being what I call a freehand copy & correction
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commems's Avatar
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 Posted 02/15/2023  6:00 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add commems to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Some great observations so far - Keep 'em coming!


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eaglebub7's Avatar
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 Posted 02/15/2023  7:18 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add eaglebub7 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Maybe the triangles represent gem stones for the 75th anniversary...
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Coinfrog's Avatar
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 Posted 02/15/2023  8:34 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Coinfrog to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Along with Gettysburg, Antietam was one of only two Civil War battles fought on Northern soil.
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hvacfreak's Avatar
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 Posted 02/15/2023  10:13 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add hvacfreak to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
The stories from the makeshift hospitals ( in nearby Shepherdstown ) are just incredible.
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nickelsearcher's Avatar
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 Posted 02/16/2023  05:56 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add nickelsearcher to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
Maybe the triangles represent gem stones for the 75th anniversary


Good call @eagle - I'll go with that
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eaglebub7's Avatar
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 Posted 02/19/2023  10:52 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add eaglebub7 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Hey commens, we're patiently waiting for your comparative observations
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commems's Avatar
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12253 Posts
 Posted 06/13/2023  07:46 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add commems to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
When I originally posted this little game, I said I would wait until February 16, 2023 before posting my list as a comparison point for entries offered by others. Is it February 16, 2023 yet?!

I apologize for the lengthy delay - this one slipped off my radar - but here's the list of differences I see (multiple have already been identified by others above):

1. On the Obverse: The inscription "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" incorporates bullet separators between each word on the models - they were removed on the coin.
2. On the Obverse: A thinner font was used for "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "HALF DOLLAR" on the models - it is noticeably thicker on the coin.
3. On the Obverse: Bullets are seen before and after the names "GEN GEORGE McCLELLAN" and "GEN ROBERT E LEE" on the coin but are absent on the models.
4. On the Obverse: On the model, the orientation of the stars differs from the coin. Two of the three stars at right are aligned straight up, as is the bottom star on the left. The other stars are angled inward. On the coin, all of the stars point inward.
5. On the Obverse: There are multiple differences on the coat of General McClellan between the model's design and coin's. On teh coin, the most obvious is the coat has two buttons, on the model it has three.
5. On the Reverse: The model shows more separation of the trees at left. On the coin, they overlap much more.
6. On the Reverse: On the coin, the inscription "THE BURNSIDE BRIDGE" is flanked by bullets. These bullets are not present on the model.
7. On the Reverse: On the coin, the inscriptions "THE BURNSIDE BRIDGE" and "SEPTEMBER 17, 1862" are smaller and better spaced vs. the model.
8. On the Reverse: The individual words of the inscription "SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY BATTLE OF ANTIETAM" are separated by bullets on the model - the separators are triangles on the coin.
9. On the Reverse: A thinner font was used for "SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY BATTLE OF ANTIETAM 1937" on the model - the letters are noticeably thicker on the coin.
10. On the Reverse: Bullets flank "E" and "UNUM" on the coin - they are absent on the model's design.
11. On the Reverse: Bullets flank "1937" on the model; on the coin, the separators are triangles. (@eaglebub: Interesting thought about the triangles representing gemstones for the anniversary. Isn't it the diamond shape that is linked to the 75th anniversary?)


I always find it interesting to see the interim steps that our coins take before becoming struck pieces!



Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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