1894 Bronze Medal Rulau MD-Bal 25A Fords Grand Opera House

Coin Details

Description

This 1894 bronze medal, cataloged as Rulau MD-Bal 25A, commemorates Ford's Grand Opera House in Baltimore, Maryland. The Rulau catalog documents American trade tokens and medals, with the MD-Bal prefix indicating a Maryland-Baltimore attribution. Ford's Grand Opera House was a prominent theater in Baltimore during the late nineteenth century, part of the theatrical empire of John T. Ford, who also owned Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865. John Ford continued his theatrical career after the assassination tragedy, and the Baltimore opera house represented his most successful post-war venue. This commemorative medal served as a patron souvenir, advertising piece, or event commemoration. Theater-related tokens and medals form a colorful collecting niche documenting American entertainment history.

Rarity Notes

Rulau MD-Bal 25A, bronze, 1894. Ford Grand Opera House medal. Theater tokens are a specialized collecting field.

Cross References

PCGS #947122; Rulau MD-Bal 25A; Fords Grand Opera House, Bronze