Edward Thomason Erie Canal White Metal Medal, Birmingham, C.1826

A substantial commemorative medal produced by Sir Edward Thomason of Birmingham shortly after the completion of the Erie Canal. Struck in white metal and measuring over 8 cm in diameter, it represents one of the most significant transportation achievements of the nineteenth century.

The medal combines classical allegory with American national symbolism. Neptune and Pan appear on the obverse, while the reverse displays the arms of New York State and a canal shipping scene celebrating the opening of the waterway.

The design originated in the United States shortly after the completion of the Erie Canal and was engraved by Charles Cushing Wright. Thomason subsequently adopted the design and re-created it in a monumental 81 mm format, creating the version for which the series is best known today.

A striking decorative object as well as an important historical artefact, combining substantial scale, strong relief and excellent visual presence.

Measurements

Diameter: 8.12 cm / 3.20″
Weight: 165 g

Condition

Excellent antique condition. The details remain sharp and well preserved, with an attractive aged surface consistent with early nineteenth-century white metal. Free from the severe corrosion, spotting and metal deterioration often encountered on surviving examples of this type.

Shipping & Packaging

Fully tracked and insured delivery.
Shipping cost includes professional packaging, careful handling and secure postage.
Carefully packed using recycled materials where possible.

Please study all photographs as they form part of the description.

Questions are welcome.

Monumental Erie Canal white metal medal by Edward Thomason, c.1826

An impressive white-metal commemorative medal issued by Sir Edward Thomason to mark the completion of the Erie Canal, the engineering project that transformed trade and economic development in the early United States.

The richly symbolic design combines classical figures, state heraldry and canal imagery to celebrate the opening of the waterway in 1825. The design originated in the United States shortly after the completion of the Erie Canal and was engraved by Charles Cushing Wright. Thomason subsequently adopted the design and re-created it in a monumental 81 mm format, producing the version for which the series is best known today.

Today these large white-metal examples remain highly desirable for their scale, historical significance and strong visual presence. They are collected both as historical medals and as part of the celebrated so-called dollar series.

Measurements

• Diameter: 8.12 cm (3.20″)
• Weight: 165 g

Condition

Excellent antique condition. The details remain sharp and well preserved, with an attractive aged surface consistent with early nineteenth-century white metal. Free from the severe corrosion, spotting and metal deterioration often encountered on surviving examples of this type.

Shipping & Packaging

Fully tracked and insured delivery.
Shipping cost includes professional packaging, careful handling and secure postage.
Carefully packed using recycled materials where possible.

Please study all photographs as they form part of the description.

Questions are welcome.

Style: Regency