Washington Medals 1850-1859

Game Counters and Play Money

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Baker 602C       Game Counter, Type 2           Lauer         Nuremburg

Obverse:  GENERAL     WASHINGTON
Reverse:   IN UNITATE FORTITUDO [below] SPIEL   MÜNZE .

Gilt brass       Weight:  53.0 g   (3.43 grams)           Diameter:  22.1 mm           Reverse die alignment: 360°

Comments:   This is one of a group of game counters produced by Ludwig Christian Lauer in Nuremburg, Germany in the mid to late 1860's (one variety, Baker 604 is signed LAUER and another, Baker 607L is dated 1855). The image of Washington is based on an 1817 print bu Giuseppe Longhi know in Germany through a copy engraved by G.G. Felsing in 1824. This shows a three quarter bust in civilian dress facing left (to Washington's right).

This is a type two obverse, in which the bust is truncated before reaching the border of the token. The reverse shows an eagle with dropped wings holding an olive branch and three arrows in its talons. This variety lacks the U.S. shield in the eagle's breast, as found in several other varieties. Also on this variety Spielmünze is in smaller letters than on other varieties. The Latin motto on the reverse translates as "Strength in unity" while Spielmünze is German for "play money."

Note: Unfortunately, the HTML symbol for an upper case U with an umlaut displays smaller than other upper case letters (as what is known as a small capital) Ü.

Provenance:  Part of an anonymous donation consisting of 1100 tokens and medals covering the Nineteenth century, primarily up through the Civil War era.

Reference: Rulau and Fuld, p. 237

obverse 500 dpi 250 dpi

reverse 500 dpi 250 dpi

Baker 598C       Game Counter, Type 2           Lauer         Nuremburg

Obverse:  GENERAL     WASHINGTON
Reverse:   COMPOSITIONS * * * SPIEL-MARKE * * *

Brass       Weight:  111.1 g   (7.20 grams)           Diameter:  27.3 mm           Reverse die alignment: 360°

Comments:   This is one of a group of game counters produced by Ludwig Christian Lauer in Nuremburg, Germany in the mid to late 1860's (one variety, Baker 604 is signed LAUER and another, Baker 607L is dated 1855). The image of Washington is based on an 1817 print bu Giuseppe Longhi know in Germany through a copy engraved by G.G. Felsing in 1824. This shows a three quarter bust in civilian dress facing left (to Washington's right).

This is a type two obverse, in which the bust is truncated before reaching the border of the token. The reverse shows an eagle with dropped wings holding an olive branch and three arrows in its talons. This variety lacks the U.S. shield in the eagle's breast. The motto on the reverse translates as "game counter."

Provenance:  Part of an anonymous donation consisting of 1100 tokens and medals covering the Nineteenth century, primarily up through the Civil War era.

Reference: Rulau and Fuld, p. 238

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