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JAB-01 PIONEER BASEBALL CLUB MEDAL Copper 32mm - 75 Struck The Dies were cut in 1861 to the order of Charles A. Vinton. They are currently unaccounted for. This is the earliest medallic commemoration of the game of baseball. In the fall of 1860, the Springfield Pioneers had defeated all the teams in Western Massachusetts. They were challenged to a championship game by the Boston Bowdoins, who were undefeated in the Eastern part of the State. Playing at Hampden Park in Springfield on Oct. 6, 1860, the Pioneers defeated the Bowdoins 22 to 13, to claim the first unofficial title of Championship Baseball Club of Massachusetts. This medal was commissioned shortly thereafter. Ham Downing was so proud of his involvement with the club that he carried his medal with him at all times and was even buried with it, when he died. A NGC-64RB piece sold for $5280 in the Stacks November 2017 auction, lot 217. A NGC-65RB example sold for $5520 in the February 2019 Stacks auction, lot 36. A great topical Medal with a nice history of increase in value over time. If one could only add a single Bolen piece to their collection, this would be the one I would recommend. Keywords: bolen

JAB-01 PIONEER BASEBALL CLUB MEDAL Copper

32mm - 75 Struck
The Dies were cut in 1861 to the order of Charles A. Vinton. They are currently unaccounted for. This is the earliest medallic commemoration of the game of baseball. In the fall of 1860, the Springfield Pioneers had defeated all the teams in Western Massachusetts. They were challenged to a championship game by the Boston Bowdoins, who were undefeated in the Eastern part of the State. Playing at Hampden Park in Springfield on Oct. 6, 1860, the Pioneers defeated the Bowdoins 22 to 13, to claim the first unofficial title of Championship Baseball Club of Massachusetts. This medal was commissioned shortly thereafter. Ham Downing was so proud of his involvement with the club that he carried his medal with him at all times and was even buried with it, when he died.

A NGC-64RB piece sold for $5280 in the Stacks November 2017 auction, lot 217. A NGC-65RB example sold for $5520 in the February 2019 Stacks auction, lot 36. A great topical Medal with a nice history of increase in value over time. If one could only add a single Bolen piece to their collection, this would be the one I would recommend.

JAB_ME-3_WM.jpg B8_Copper.JPG B28_-_globe.JPG B5_Copper.JPG JAB-37_Brass.jpg B-06_WM.jpg 1888_Springfield.jpg ME-12_tin.jpg me10-bronze.png