My latest newp, a medal with little info publicly available on it. — Welcome to the CAC Educational Forum

My latest newp, a medal with little info publicly available on it.

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  • You bought it on Ebay on May 12 at 1:24 PM EST.

    Mary Dutlih was born in Phila., PA on 2/11/1835 and died on 9/6/25. She married Samuel (Brevet Lt Colonel) Bell (1827 to 1912).

    Ordinary folks memorialized on a beautiful medal.
  • You are good in your deceptive work, I am guilty as charged. However these are no ordinary families that is forever memorialized by the medal. Question, how many medals have the mint made that memorialized a wedding anniversary and would the mint make 1 or 2 for mere ordinary citizens?
    Thank you fro replying so quickly.
  • No other info about this duo was found, other than a few mentions in legal documents. I suspect that these people may have had some status but how can it be proven? And how can you even verify that the U.S. Mint made this?

    Nonetheless, it is an attractive, interesting, historical medal that is more appealing than most. It is so unusual that you could possibly name your own price.
  • Great & interesting questions.
    First it is listed in Julian's "Medals of the U.S. Mint on page 202 under Personal Medals number PE-5.He writes that the engrave is not known and the metals are not known. He also goes on to say that:" The description is from a pair of dies seen in the die vault of the Philadelphia Mint medal department in Dec, 1975". There was no photo in his book, only the description of what was on the obv & rev. Thus far I have found one other example that sold in Stacks 3x. The Dutlih family is a prominent shipping & merchant family from Philadelphia btw. I have all the info on them, and have traced them from France in the 1700's then in Philly in the late 1700's. I am presently researching the Bell family of Penn. This is what I have found thus far on him:
    " Officers of the army and navy (volunteer) who served in the civil war . with his life only one week before the final surrender al Apjmattox. US OFFICERS OF THE ARMY AND NAVY (volunteer). BREVET LIEUTENANT-COLONEL SAMUEL BELL,U.S.V. Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Bell was bornin Reading, Pennsylvania, April 25, 1827. He is the sonof the late.Judge Samuel Bell, of Reading, and a man ofthorough training, having received a most liberal edu-cation. Prior to the breaking out of the war he was amember of the wholesale house of Knight & Bell, inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, but at the call for volunteershe gave up his business as a merchant and enlisted as aprivate in April, [861, and served in the three months campaign with the First Troop, Philadelphia City Cav-alry. He was afterwards selected by Governor Curtin as oneof the commissioners on the draft for Philadelphia, andsubsequently was appointed additional paymaster in theregular arm)- by President Lincoln, with the rank ofmajor, and he, in this position, stood in the foremost rankfor integrity of character and efficiency in the perform-ance of his duties, for which he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel by President Jo
  • Realone said:

    Great & interesting questions.
    First it is listed in Julian's "Medals of the U.S. Mint on page 202 under Personal Medals number PE-5.He writes that the engrave is not known and the metals are not known. He also goes on to say that:" The description is from a pair of dies seen in the die vault of the Philadelphia Mint medal department in Dec, 1975". There was no photo in his book, only the description of what was on the obv & rev. Thus far I have found one other example that sold in Stacks 3x. The Dutlih family is a prominent shipping & merchant family from Philadelphia btw. I have all the info on them, and have traced them from France in the 1700's then in Philly in the late 1700's. I am presently researching the Bell family of Penn. This is what I have found thus far on him:
    " Officers of the army and navy (volunteer) who served in the civil war . with his life only one week before the final surrender al Apjmattox. US OFFICERS OF THE ARMY AND NAVY (volunteer). BREVET LIEUTENANT-COLONEL SAMUEL BELL,U.S.V. Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Bell was bornin Reading, Pennsylvania, April 25, 1827. He is the sonof the late.Judge Samuel Bell, of Reading, and a man ofthorough training, having received a most liberal edu-cation. Prior to the breaking out of the war he was amember of the wholesale house of Knight & Bell, inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, but at the call for volunteershe gave up his business as a merchant and enlisted as aprivate in April, [861, and served in the three months campaign with the First Troop, Philadelphia City Cav-alry. He was afterwards selected by Governor Curtin as oneof the commissioners on the draft for Philadelphia, andsubsequently was appointed additional paymaster in theregular arm)- by President Lincoln, with the rank ofmajor, and he, in this position, stood in the foremost rankfor integrity of character and efficiency in the perform-ance of his duties, for which he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel by President Jo

    Did someone bribed Mint employees to mint medals for them? Or was it a legit product whose proceeds went to the Mint?

  • Did someone bribed Mint employees to mint medals for them? Or was it a legit product whose proceeds went to the Mint?

    Interesting question, I honestly don't know but I just cannot imagine the former bribery query. This appears to be the only U.S. Mint Medal commemorating a couple's anniversary of marriage. And in addition to that it is an exceptional design for such a subject matter so the engraver spent the time and the U.S. Mint spent the money, so they obviously thought it was beneficial to do so. I assume there are no more than 3 and probably only 2 , time will tell.
    Thanks for all your input with this piece.

  • Some addit info On Samuel Bell, may help shed light on why the U.S. Mint made the medal.
    "Col. Samuel Bell
    Born 25 Apr 1827 in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap
    ANCESTORS ancestors
    Son of Samuel Bell and Louisa Isabella (Bowman) Bell
    Brother of Jacob Bowman Bell and Stirling Bell
    [spouse(s) unknown]
    [children unknown]
    Died 1 Apr 1912 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap

    Biography

    Son of Hon. Samuel Bell, merchant at Reading, Pennsylvania, and Louisa Bowman.

    He was educated at private schools and at Yale College.

    Volunteered in 1861 for military service during the Civil War. Served initially with the first City Troop of Philadelphia and later in the regular army, where he served until the end of the war.[1]

    Was clerk of the United States Circuit court at Philadelphia from 1870 to 1907.
  • and on his father also named Samuel Bell:
    "Samuel Bell
    Born 11 Dec 1797 in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap
    Son of William Bell and [mother unknown]
    [sibling(s) unknown]
    Husband of Louisa Isabella (Bowman) Bell — married 28 Apr 1819 in Washington County, Pennsylvaniamap
    DESCENDANTS descendants
    Father of Jacob Bowman Bell, Samuel Bell and Stirling Bell
    Died 15 Sep 1863 in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap

    Biography

    Hon. Samuel Bell, was a son of William Bell. He was born 11 December 1797 at Reading, Pennsylvania.[1]

    He was a merchant at Reading. In 1851 he served as an associate judge of the courts of Berks county.[2]

    He married Louisa Bowman, daughter of Jacob Bowman, of Brownsville, Pennsylvania, on 28 April 1819.[3] Their children were : Mary Greer, Jacob B., Samuel, Sterling, Goodloe B., Arthur G., James Lowrie, Mary Louisa and William Arthur.[4]

    He died in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, on 15 September 1863. There is a large cenotaph in his memory in Charles Evans Cemetery in Reading.
  • Realone said:

    and on his father also named Samuel Bell:
    "Samuel Bell
    Born 11 Dec 1797 in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap
    Son of William Bell and [mother unknown]
    [sibling(s) unknown]
    Husband of Louisa Isabella (Bowman) Bell — married 28 Apr 1819 in Washington County, Pennsylvaniamap
    DESCENDANTS descendants
    Father of Jacob Bowman Bell, Samuel Bell and Stirling Bell
    Died 15 Sep 1863 in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap

    Biography

    Hon. Samuel Bell, was a son of William Bell. He was born 11 December 1797 at Reading, Pennsylvania.[1]

    He was a merchant at Reading. In 1851 he served as an associate judge of the courts of Berks county.[2]

    He married Louisa Bowman, daughter of Jacob Bowman, of Brownsville, Pennsylvania, on 28 April 1819.[3] Their children were : Mary Greer, Jacob B., Samuel, Sterling, Goodloe B., Arthur G., James Lowrie, Mary Louisa and William Arthur.[4]

    He died in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, on 15 September 1863. There is a large cenotaph in his memory in Charles Evans Cemetery in Reading.

    I know a dealer who would play up the importance of the medal's subjects and list it for $10,000, $50,000, or other crazily high amount. But only after certification by NGC as a federal medal, even if it receives a Details designation. Unique is unique; name your own price.

  • I meant "bribe", not "bribed".
  • Received the medal today, I grade it ms64PL, maybe NGC would agree with me. Color matches the photos. Beautiful example. I agree that it is extremely rare probably 2 or 3 of them in existence, made for a personal favor by the Philly Mint due to the family's obvious high prominence. At this point I got to believe it might be the only U.S. Mint made medal commemorating a couple's wedding anniversary. Workmanship on the medal just like every naval medal the mint made, exquisite. very proud and pleased to be the current caretaker.
    Thanks
  • Congratulations!  Super cool!
  • edited June 2022
    Update:
    My theory that there has to be 2 examples could be becoming a reality. A NGC MS66 BN PL






    This very example sold at Stacks over the years, in fact 3 times:
    In Nov 2020 for $192.00
    In Jan 2013 for $188.00
    In Sept 2011 for $1,207.50
    With no info other than it was a PE-5, engraver unknown, formerly unknown other than the dies found at the Phil Mint, and provenance from the Presidential Coin & Antique Co Auction 82 in 2012 as lot 10128.
    So obviously based on the sales prices nobody is either interested or knows what this really is inorder to value it. But there are now 2 examples which makes sense , one for the bride and one for the groom which makes sense as wedding or wedding anniversary gifts. The Phil Mint need not have made anymore for the special occasion since this was obviously for a special Phily's couple special event. Unbelievable but true and why they did is also plainly obvious, the couple's family were one Phily's heavy hitters when it came to our country's beginnings. Not that there aren't other famous family's but in this case I have to assume one of the patriarch's decided to contact the Phily mint and call in a favor.

  • Realone said:

    Update:
    My theory that there has to be 2 examples could be becoming a reality. A NGC MS66 BN PL








    Update, after trying to find the whereabouts of the above medal I was fortunate to find him and it and purchases it. It is pretty stunning to say the least. I believe there are only 2 existing and it is an honor to have both husband and wife's pieces. I am continuing to do further research to try to explain why these medals were made and what were the circumstances, its not like everyday the U.S. Mint does this sort of thing.

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