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Up for sale is an antique 1885 Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Centennial medal (token), struck for the county\'s 100th-birthday celebration in Harrisburg.
Celebrating 1785 to 1885 — Dauphin County was carved out of Lancaster County on March 4, 1785, and named in honor of the Dauphin, heir to the French throne, in thanks for France\'s help in the American Revolution. That same year John Harris Jr. laid out the town that became Harrisburg, which later became the state capital.
Obverse (the industry side) — around the edge: DAUPHIN COUNTY · 1785 · CENTENNIAL · 1885. Scene: a tall brick stack and a hoisting frame with clouds of smoke over the hills, brick works buildings, and a workman in the left foreground. Below the ground line are crossed tools and what appears to be a sheaf of grain. The reference catalog (Numista) describes it as the county\'s three main livelihoods — mining, manufacturing and agriculture. The maker\'s line P.L. KRIDER PHILA. runs along the ground line.
Reverse (the pioneer side) — around the edge, in Latin: E FERITATE CULTUS, PRO SOLITUDINE MULTITUDO · ★ In plain English: \"From wildness, cultivation; in place of solitude, a multitude.\" In other words: the wilderness became farmland, and an empty place became a crowded city. Scene: a two-chimney log house with a fenced field, a big shade tree with three small figures standing beneath it, flying birds, and in the river in front a canoe carrying two Native American paddlers. Catalogers identify the house as John Harris\'s log house, which was Harrisburg\'s founding homestead.
A charming footnote for collectors: Harrisburg\'s founding legend tells of John Harris Sr. being tied to a mulberry tree around 1720 by a party of men demanding rum, and rescued at the last moment by Native American friends. He asked to be buried beneath that tree, and his grave can still be visited by the river in Harrisburg\'s riverfront park today. This same medal was also struck in silver in tiny numbers, and in 2022 a silver example in its original case sold at sale for more than $13,000. This is the white metal version, the one ordinary citizens bought and wore at the celebration.
An antique centennial medal struck by P. L. Krider of Philadelphia, a silversmith and medal maker of the era. His signature, \"P.L. KRIDER PHILA.,\" appears in tiny letters along the ground line beneath the industrial scene. The medal is catalogued as Raymond 154 and is listed as unlisted so-called dollar #159 on the so-called dollar reference site.
About the maker: Peter L. Krider was a Philadelphia silversmith and medal maker who struck many of the era\'s commemorative medals. Some sale catalogers credit the design to U.S. Mint engraver William Barber, because it closely resembles his work. Collectors on the main coin forum dispute that, and the matter is unsettled. This listing therefore credits Krider, whose name is actually on the piece, and does not claim a Mint connection.
Historical context:
John Harris Sr., an English born trader, set up his trading post and ferry on the Susquehanna River around 1718-1719\". He did a large trade with the local tribes in furs and skins and later ran a ferry, so the spot became known as \"Harris\'s Ferry\". (Harris\'s Ferry grew into a crossroads of the frontier. A century after the county\'s founding, Dauphin County had become an industrial center of iron, steel and coal, while still farming its valleys. That story of wilderness to industry is told on the two faces of this medal).
John Harris Jr. (born c. 1727) took over the ferry. He moved supplies for the Continental Army during the Revolution and petitioned for a new county.
March 4, 1785: the Pennsylvania Assembly carved Dauphin county out of Lancaster County. It was named for the Dauphin, the eldest son and heir of King Louis XVI, as thanks for Frances\'s help in the Revolution. The same year, Harris Jr. laid out the town that became Harrisburg.
1812: Harrisburg became Pennsylvania\'s state capital.
By 1885 the county had become an industrial center, with iron and steel works and coal mining alongside its farms. That explains why the medal\'s industry side gets the \"front\".
September 14-17, 1885: Harrisburg held a four-day centennial celebration. The dates come from a companion medal\'s legend, \"Harrisburg-September 14, 15, 16, 17, 1885\". In 1886 the city published a 397 page book about it. \"Centenary Memorial of the Erection of the County of Dauphin and the Founding of the City of Harrisburg\" (Telegraph Printing House).
Made of white metal (a soft, tin-based alloy) and struck from dies, with a hole drilled at the top for wearing as a pendant or badge.
- Item: 1885 Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Centennial medal (token)
- Maker: P. L. Krider, Philadelphia (signed)
- Reference: Raymond 154; so-calleddollar.com unlisted #159
- Material: white metal
- Measurements: 1-1/2″ (approx. 38 mm) diameter; 1/8″ thick
- Condition: circulated antique condition with honest wear; detail remains crisp in the foliage, brickwork and lettering; even dark-gray patina; scattered light scratches in the fields; a small bruise in the lower-left foreground of the reverse; a tiny reddish speck in the obverse sky; drilled hole at top passing through the top of the date 1785 [not cleaned]. Please refer to the photos, as they are part of the description.
- Era: 1885, period commemorative
- Shipping note: will ship with tracking and insurance
PLEASE REFER TO PHOTOS.SOLD IN \"AS IS\"/UNUSED AND CIRCULATED CONDITION.RETURNS ACCEPTED ON THIS ITEM WITHIN 30 DAYS.SHIP WITHIN 4 BUSINESS DAYS OF PAYMENT. PAYMENT BY PAYPAL ONLY. PLEASE ASK ANY QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE.
