Historical - Industry of all Nations Medals


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
(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