1914 Medal Commercial Tercentenary of NY Brass 32mm

Coin Details

Description

The 1914 Commercial Tercentenary of New York medal in brass at 32mm commemorates the 300th anniversary of the first commercial activity on Manhattan Island. Dutch traders established commercial relationships with the Lenape people beginning around 1614, when Adriaen Block and other Dutch explorers sailed up the Hudson River and initiated the fur trade that would lead to the founding of New Amsterdam. The tercentenary celebration in 1914 marked three centuries of New York City's identity as a center of commerce. The 32mm brass medal served as a souvenir or attendance piece for the tercentenary celebrations, which included exhibitions, pageants, and public events highlighting New York's commercial heritage. The obverse features imagery related to early Dutch trading or Manhattan's commercial district, while the reverse carries commemorative inscriptions with the dates 1614-1914 establishing the three-century span being celebrated. New York's commercial tercentenary arrived during a period of supreme confidence in the city's position as the financial capital of the Western Hemisphere. By 1914, Wall Street had become the center of global finance, the Port of New York handled more tonnage than any other American port, and the city's manufacturing sector employed millions. The brass composition and modest 32mm size indicate this was produced for wide distribution as a popular souvenir rather than as a premium commemorative piece.

Rarity Notes

Souvenir medals from early twentieth-century New York celebrations were produced in substantial quantities for public distribution. The brass composition confirms this as a popular-grade piece. Moderately available in the secondary market.

Cross References

PCGS #913701; New York Commercial Tercentenary 1614-1914