EXHIBITION OF THE INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS MEDALS
Latting Observatory Medal
OBVERSE - View of the New York Crystal Palace, in two lines above N. YORK CRYSTAL PALACE, FOR THE EXHIBITION OF THE / INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS, below exergue shield and flags G.H. LOVETT NEW YORK. REVERSE - View of the steel tower and building, inscription in two lines LATTING OBSERVATORY, N. YORK / EXTREME HEIGHTH, 350 FEET, series of semi-circles with faces around. White metal, 53mm
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(image courtesy of American Numismatic Society)
An example of this medal was listed in the "Catalogue of the Numismatic
Collection of Francis S. Hoffman, Esq., of New York" (1866). The
listing reads "An absurd error on the reverse of this medal caused
its suppression: it is now very rare, only three or four being known".
I assume the error was the misspelling of 'heighth'. The auction of the
Bushnell Collection in 1882 also contained an example and the
listing said two or three known. I have found no modern sales of this medal.
"Urban observation towers, developed in the 1850s as features of
expositions, provided compelling, real-life bird's-eye views. The
Latting Observatory, a 315-foot, octagonal-based, iron-braced wooden
tower, was built in 1853 to adjoin the New York Crystal Palace, which
hosted the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations (an endeavor
directly inspired by London's Great Exhibition of the Works of All
Nations in 1851). Conceived by Warring Latting and designed by architect
William Naugle, the tower accommodated 1,500 visitors at a time and
provided expansive views of Manhattan, Queens, and New Jersey from three
observation levels. It was the tallest structure in New York until a
fire destroyed it in 1856." (from the Chicago History Museum website - https://artsandculture.google.com/story/a-wheel-with-a-view-chicago-history-museum/JAVhbfL84qm6LQ?hl=en)
All Nations Dollar - Type IIA
H-K 7a, white metal, 39.5mm
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