Enamelled coin
Brooch
ca. 1880 (Manufactured)
ca. 1880 (Manufactured)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Enamelled coin (USA Trade dollar) mounted with a pin. Obverse: Enamelled with an American eagle holding three arrows in one foot and an olive branch in the other on a white background. Above the eagle is a banner with the latin motto' E PLURIBUS UNUM '(one from many) motto of the United States, painted in black enamel .The area surrounding the eagle is enamelled in turquoise and has the following inscription ' UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TRADE DOLLAR'. REVERSE: Struck with a figure of Liberty seated on a corn bail, (corn being symbolic of Americas trade and prosperity). and holding an olive branch in her right hand. In her left hand is a banner with the motto 'Liberty'. At the base of the seat is an inscription 'IN GOD WE TRUST' and below it the date 1877.The outer part of the coin is surrounded by 9 stars (others obscured by the clasp) representing the States of America. The mounted clasp is attached to the reverse of the coin and runs from the centre of the proper left to the centre of the proper right. The coin has a milled edge.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Enamelled coin (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Silver. Enamel. Obverse: engraved and hand painted. Reverse: Struck |
| Brief description | Brooch in the form of an enamelled coin, struck, United States, enamelled, UK, 1877-80 |
| Physical description | Enamelled coin (USA Trade dollar) mounted with a pin. Obverse: Enamelled with an American eagle holding three arrows in one foot and an olive branch in the other on a white background. Above the eagle is a banner with the latin motto' E PLURIBUS UNUM '(one from many) motto of the United States, painted in black enamel .The area surrounding the eagle is enamelled in turquoise and has the following inscription ' UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TRADE DOLLAR'. REVERSE: Struck with a figure of Liberty seated on a corn bail, (corn being symbolic of Americas trade and prosperity). and holding an olive branch in her right hand. In her left hand is a banner with the motto 'Liberty'. At the base of the seat is an inscription 'IN GOD WE TRUST' and below it the date 1877.The outer part of the coin is surrounded by 9 stars (others obscured by the clasp) representing the States of America. The mounted clasp is attached to the reverse of the coin and runs from the centre of the proper left to the centre of the proper right. The coin has a milled edge. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Limited edition |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TRADE DOLLAR' 'E PLURIBUS UNUM' 'LIBERTY' 'IN GOD WE TRUST' (Inscription; decoration; English; The inscription 'United States Trade dollar' begins on the proper left hand side of the Obverse side of the coin. The motto 'E Pluribus Unum' is located directly above the eagle.) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Professor Gordon Marshall Petersen |
| Object history | This coin formed part of a coin collection belonging to Professor Gordon Marschall Peterson, who died on 9 Novemeber 1996. Professor Petersen bequeathed his coin collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Historical significance: This USA dollar has been acquired for its quality and to broarden the representation to show, that coins of many countries were enamelled when the fashion was at its height. |
| Historical context | This enamelled coin / brooch would have been worn as a piece of jewellery. Enamelled coins became fashionable in the 1880's in England. Edwin Steel, a Birmingham jeweller formed a company in 1886 to sell as jewellery, coins he had enamelled. In 1920 the enamelling of coins in England was prohibited by the gold and silver act which made it an offence to melt down or use otherwise than as currency any gold or silver coin. According to Encyclopedia Britanica the silver coin 'called the "trade dollar" of 42 grains was struck, not for circulation in the States, but for export to China'. (The Encyclopedia Britannica, eleventh edition , 1910-11, New York, vol XIX, pg 909. |
| Production | Reason For Production: retail Reason For Production: Retail |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.74-1997 |
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| Record created | July 6, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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