Brass boxes (model coins)

[mooreman]

The D Gee Model Crown from what I remember was possibly produced for some reason to do with the great exhibition.
When the book was being put together there were problems getting permission to photograph the known at that time D Gee Model Crown. The book of course needs updating as some mistakes were made at the time and more information has come to light over the years.
I can’t remember the exact details, but this came from a friend of mine, David Magnay who`s input and help in producing Rogers book can be seen in the books credits. In regard to it being number 5 off the known ones, I would guess that where you bought, and how much you paid for it, and who was the previous lucky owner, would give you a fair idea.
I do have the D Gee Model Crown in my large collection of Joseph Moore’s Model coins, together with about 40 Model Crowns, of different metals, ( silver, copper, brass, etc.) and designs, including an exceptionally rare mule.
Another area I love and covered in Rogers’s book are the Onions Teaching coins, so small that many got lost, including no doubt in children’s stomachs. There are little boxes and coin purses to hold these that are not shown in Rogers which have been since found. The metal use to make these cannot all ways be assessed as coatings of various metals was used. Out of the 90 odd that I have it would lead me to think that when completing an order, Onions may have used whatever came to hand from metal in the stock, only in later years when the coating became worn it is revealed. Mal has a good collecting of these and has I think photos some ware on this site.
 Although I still add to my collections, time and tide has caught up with me and the decision to pass the collection on will have to be soon made, as I have as yet not found a way to take them with me.

[Pellinore]

I have a Hope box containing three white metal medals (missing the 'six children' one). Found this interesting World of Coins thread on the internet when I sought for the text on the lid with Google.

But I also found this article about what it in fact is for. Maybe you all know it and it's just a walkover, but still. It's a whist box, used for counting up to ten points in special figures.
-- Paul

[Pellinore]

I found it in this cigarette box, that was in a cotton bag, that was in a book box, that had been sitting in a drawer, that is in an old chest, that is in the back room, that is in our attic, at the very top of our large old house, a place that I seldom visit. It's from my dear old aunt (1911-2010), who had been living as a nurse in Slough for thirty years.
-- Paul

[Figleaf]

Centre possibly two modern Dutch commercial action tokens (Patria crackers?) Around, starting from top left a British advertising medal, a spade guinea imitation for keeping score in games such as whist, an Utrecht duit, type of 1657-1690, a Bank of England 3 shilling bank token 1811 (Davis 45-49), a Canadian token halfpenny Wellington/commerce (Breton 978) and a British commemorative medal.

Did your aunt travel with Graham Greene?

Peter

[Pellinore]

All your guesses are right to the mark. Patria crackers of 2 1/2 cent 'zakgeld', pocket money. The duit has been countermarked with the Utrecht armorial shield, can't read the date. The spade guinea imitation is in the name of James White Baker. The bank token is AE, is that a counterfeit? Date unreadable.

My aunt traveled a lot (alas, I never traveled with my aunt, and what a nice book of Greene that is), but she lived in Iran for a year in the fifties, I still have some trinkets from that sojourn. Now where's that agate ring, engraved with a Persian inscription, where are those turquoise stones? Somewhere in a box in a drawer in the attic.
-- Paul

[constanius]

The "British commemorative medal" is in fact the box lid from a set of royal medals.  There are 5 in the set, only 4 shown here.



Pat

[Pellinore]

Well yes, it's the top of the 'Hope' whist box of four (in my case, three) tokens that was treated before in this thread.

[Figleaf]

The bank token is AE, is that a counterfeit?

Originals are silver, but the contemporary imitations are usually brass. Producing a brass version was legal for a while. Spending them as the real thing after giving them a silver wash was not. Oddly, I never saw a brass copy with traces of silver.

Peter

[constanius]

BHM only gives the boxed set as#2382 which contains 5 medals #1905, #1906, #1947, ##2383 & #2391 but of course it is possible that other sets were produced.

Pat

[Pellinore]

My brass Hope box has a diameter of 28 mm and is 9,5 mm thick. the weight is 19,53 gr. It contains three medals in white metal, one of them weighing 5,10 gr.
-- Paul

[Pellinore]

By the way, this is the rest of the box. The two (very worn, Parthian bronze) coins at the lower left were put in by me some years ago, the others were part of the many odds and ends left by my dear old aunt. (Yesterday, I uncovered a very nice Bols flask in the form of a woman in Scheveningen costume. Every day I'm using her knives and forks.)
-- Paul

[Figleaf]

Centre: Japanese 4 mon, probably kanei tsuho, possibly bunkyu eiho. Around, clockwise from upper left:
- military and government services medal, homeland or colonial for long service: 1825-1851 and 1928-1951. Spelling changed in 1951. You may find remnants of a loop on top, otherwise, this is probably an imitation.
- Medal of honour for Utrecht students who served in the military during the Belgian war of independence: PATRIAE DEFENSORIBUS ACAD: TRAJECT: CIVIBUS CURATORES MDCCCXXXI - the curators (have given this medal) to the citizens of the academy in Utrecht who defended the fatherland 1831. The horn above the wreath is a reminder of the unit: Compagnie vrijwillige jagers der Utrechtse hogeschool (volunteer chasseurs company of the Utrecht university - light cavalry, skirmishing and reconnaissance.)
- Japanese 1 mon, probably kanei tsuho.

Peter

[Pellinore]

Well, that's all right into the mark again. Some internet searching leads me to the 4 mon Bunkyuu eihou, about 1863.
The 11 o'clock medal has a filed off loop and much looks like a 19th century medal, with a richly ornate W on the reverse.
The 1 mon (kanei tsuhou) is without a mint mark, issued from the mid-17th to the mid-19th century in huge numbers. This is an 'old style legs' type minted between 1637 and 1668 (I think, the legs are in the picture).
I found this in a website about Kanei coin basics.
-- Paul

[bagerap]

Just arrived, William IV box.

[malj1]

It looks to be quite a nice one. I wonder how good they were when first made?

It looks weakly struck and it could not wear in that way as the font is recessed in and protected by the rim.