1911 Medal First American Coin Collector Bronze

Coin Details

Auction Record

$410 PCGS Genuine 10-28-2023 eBay

Description

This 1911 bronze medal commemorates the "First American Coin Collector" — a subject that directly engages with the history of numismatics itself. The identity of the "first American coin collector" is debated, but Joseph J. Mickley (1799-1878) is traditionally credited as the first serious American numismatist, beginning his collection in 1817 when he sought a large cent from his birth year. Alternatively, the medal may reference an earlier collector or a more general concept. This self-referential numismatic medal — a medal about collecting — represents the medallic community's interest in its own history. Bronze was the standard composition for commemorative medals of this era. Medals about numismatics itself form a small but enthusiastic specialty, as collectors naturally gravitate toward items that celebrate and document their own hobby.

Rarity Notes

Bronze, 1911. Meta-numismatic medal about collecting history. Of particular appeal to numismatic history enthusiasts.

Cross References

PCGS #902229; First American Coin Collector Medal, 1911 Bronze