(1880) Copper Token Rulau NY-NY 63, The Egyptian Obelisk

Coin Details

Description

Copper commemorative token marking the arrival of Cleopatra's Needle, the ancient Egyptian obelisk, in New York City in 1880. The 3,500-year-old granite obelisk, originally erected at Heliopolis around 1450 BC, was a gift from the Khedive of Egypt and was transported across the Atlantic at great expense by the U.S. Navy. Its installation in Central Park behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art on January 22, 1881, was one of the great public spectacles of the Gilded Age. The obelisk's 69-foot height and 200-ton weight made the engineering feat of its transport and erection a sensation. Copper, 25mm. Post-war America saw rapid industrial growth and the formalization of numismatic collecting, with organizations like the American Numismatic Society providing structure to what had been an informal pursuit. Manhattan's dense commercial district produced more merchant tokens than any other American city, and New York pieces form the backbone of most serious Rulau collections.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Commemorative token from one of the most dramatic cultural events of Gilded Age New York. Cleopatra's Needle tokens and medals are collected by Egyptology enthusiasts, Central Park historians, and New York City numismatists.

Cross References

Rulau NY-NY 63; PCGS #909326