Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving—a time to celebrate gratitude with food, friends, and family—is only a few days away. Numerous numismatic items have been produced to honor giving thanks—and not all of them were made in America. 

A Medal

For example, minted in London, the bronze 1872 Prince of Wales National Thanksgiving medal was made to observe Edward VII’s recovery from typhoid fever. Its designer, W.J. Taylor, made many other pieces, including the Kangaroo Office token, the gold Kangaroo Office token, and the Thames Regatta medal. On the obverse of the coin is the prince’s bust with the inscription ALBERT EDWARD PRINCE OF WALES, NATIONAL THANKSGIVING 1872 around him. On the reverse, two cherubs hold up the prince’s feathered crown and a banner reading ICH DIEN, meaning “I serve.” Surrounding the scene are the words GIVE ME NOW WISDOM & KNOWLEDGE THAT I MAY GO OUT & COME IN BEFORE THIS PEOPLE, which is a biblical prayer of King Solomon. At the bottom is 2 CHRON, I.10 (2 Chronicles 1:10), indicating the passage in the Bible. 

A Half Dollar

The Pilgrim Tercentenary half dollar, designed by Cyrus E. Dallin and made at the Philadelphia Mint in 1920-21, is composed of 90-percent silver and 10-percent copper. Its purpose wasn’t exactly to celebrate Thanksgiving, but rather the 300th anniversary of the Mayflower arriving in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620. Seeing as the Pilgrims are known for starting the Thanksgiving tradition, this piece ties into the holiday. The Pilgrim Tercentenary Commission sold the coins for $1 apiece, and profits were used to fund Mayflower anniversary observances. On the obverse, William Bradford, the governor of Plymouth Colony, has a Bible tucked under his arm. Stars are between each word of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PILGRIM HALF DOLLAR, and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST is by his head. On the reverse, the famous Mayflower is pictured sailing to Plymouth, with the words PILGRIM TERCENTARY CELEBRATION around the ship. The years 1620-1920 are at the bottom. Coins struck in 1920 don’t display the year they were minted, which was added in 1921 to distinguish the later issues from those struck the previous year. 

A Token

Another Thanksgiving-themed piece is the New York Washington Market Exchange token, made in 1863. On the obverse, the token shows a turkey surrounded by WASHINGTON MARKET EXCHANGE with a star on either side. The reverse displays vegetables with the words LIVE AND LET LIVE surrounding them, along with the year 1863 and the engraver’s initials, G.G.L. The token is a Civil War storecard that was made to advertise the Washington Market Exchange. 

I’m grateful for the opportunity to share these pieces with you. I hope you have a good Thanksgiving! 

Cameron Djilo is 12 years old. He enjoys collecting coins, baseball cards, and Pokemon cards. He also likes playing video games, sports, board games, and watching YouTube. So far, he hasn’t won any awards yet, but he looks forward to winning an award sometime in the near future.