Patriotic Fervor

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Baltimore, Maryland, celebrated the sesquicentennial of its founding in October 1880, and by all accounts, the four-day event was a grand affair. It highlighted not only the city’s past, but also its present accomplishments. Parades marched along the city’s brightly decorated streets, accompanied by band music, a variety of exhibitions, and, of course, the customary speeches by dignitaries. The New York Herald commented that “if an equal degree of patriotic fervor existed throughout the country neither political party could do much harm.”

A history of the celebration, edited by Edward Spencer under the direction of Baltimore’s mayor and city council, was published in 1881. It notes that “The society also struck a medal in commemoration of the occasion, which was worn by members during the celebration. It consisted of an impression, in copper, of the society’s seal, mounted upon a ribbon of yellow and black, the colors of Lord Baltimore’s family arms.” The book also mentions that a commemorative medal was produced to raise money and that “the price was 25 cents, and many were sold..” This is no doubt the medal illustrated herein.

Lord Baltimore

The medal’s obverse features a forward-facing bust, with GEORGE CALVERT above and THE FIRST LORD OF BALTIMORE below. On the reverse, the battle monument is depicted in the center, with 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE CITY/BALTIMORE around the rim. In the field, the dates 1730 and 1880 are near the top, and OCT 11TH is below. The piece is suspended from a gold and black ribbon and a brass top pinback bar depicting an eagle. The ribbon’s colors are the same as those on the coat-of-arms of Sir George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore and city founder. He adopted those colors after visiting Baltimore and seeing an oriole, now Maryland’s state bird, for the first time.

Russell Rulau, in the 4th edition of his Standard Catalog of United States Tokens 1700-1900, lists and illustrates an unholed brass example of the medal as MD-Ba 35. He gives the size as 32mm, although it is actually only 31mm. The size of Rulau’s next listing, MD-Ba 35B, is 31mm, and his incomplete description suggests it is the same medal as the first listing. 

Examples were also struck in copper. Nearly all of those I’ve seen in either metal are holed but missing the ribbon. This isn’t surprising; those who purchased medals would very likely have worn them during the festivities. After that, most were probably relegated to junk drawers, where the medal would have fared much better than the ribbon.

Sales Agents

Dr. Adolph Richter, who operated an apothecary on the corner of Broadway and Mullikin Streets, served on the celebration’s finance committee. On October 14, he advertised in the Baltimore Sun newspaper for “100 agents to sell the official Sesqui-centennial medal” and added that “a liberal discount is offered.” The fact that they were seeking so many salesmen suggests that the medal’s mintage was substantial.

Merchant Medals 

To promote his business, Baltimore merchant Charles Hamill also issued a token in conjunction with the celebration. Listed by Rulau as MD-Ba 46, the 28mm piece is struck in white metal, and like the medal previously described, examples exist with and without a hole at the top. A Liberty head bearing a striking resemblance to the U.S. silver dollar in circulation at the time is facing left on the obverse, with CHAS. W. HAMILL & CO. MF. SILVER PLATED WARE. around it. The reverse depicts the battle monument in the center, with 150TH ANNIVERSARY BALTIMORE CITY around it at the top and OCTOBER/1880 below. Rulau lists a gilt white-metal variety as MD-Ba 46A, but I haven’t seen an example.

The die-sinker’s signature, F. X. KOHLER (sic), appears beneath the bust in tiny letters. Francis X. Koehler was a German die-sinker who immigrated to Baltimore in 1850 and went into business as a jeweler and die cutter. Between that time and his death in 1886, he manufactured tokens and medals for numerous businesses and organizations.

Presentation Piece

The Baltimore Sun described the presentation of an extremely rare medal, which I’ve never seen illustrated, on October 12, 1880. Only two examples were produced by Baltimore jeweler Joseph H. Gale, and they were given to the event chairman, Francis P. Stevens, and Col. J. Thomas Scharf, a committee member who represented the Maryland Historical Society. The “heavy gold” medals were described as combining “the symbolic features of the Maryland arms and the city seal” and that “on a centerpiece of black enamel is laid a frosted silver representation of the Battle Monument, surmounted by the coronet and bannerets of the State seal, the coronet studded with diamonds.” The backs of the medals were engraved Presented by the citizens of Baltimore. 

I welcome readers’ comments. Write to me at P.O. Box 2866, La Plata, MD 20646. If a reply is desired, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

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A version of this article appears in the April 2026 issue of The Numismatist (money.org)