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A Nation of Outcasts


GregsonVaux

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I will be attending Geocoinfest 2011 as a vendor, so I wanted to design a coin for the event. Before I saw any of the other coin designs, I noticed that it will be held in South Carolina, so I wanted to create a design that will celebrate the state. I did some research and discovered something interesting about the flag: No one is exactly sure where the symbols come from.

 

744px-Flag_of_South_Carolinasvg.png

 

The palmetto tree is thought to be from the palmettos used to construct the fort on Sullivan's Island. The logs are soft and thus better able to resist canon fire better than other types of wood. The fort was key in defending Charleston from the British in 1776.

 

The origin of the crescent is more mysterious. Some say that it is a piece of armor for the neck called a gorget; others say that it is a heraldry symbol known as a cadence, which tells birth order. The crescent represents the second son. Many people who came to America were second, third, fourth, or later sons, who had no inheritance and thus no ties to the old world. Their fortune could best be found in a new land.

 

The text on each side of the coin is strongly inspired by Psalm 92 and Psalm 118 in the bible:

 

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree

 

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes

 

The symbols around the ship are the cadences representing the first through ninth son.

 

I would like to hear people's opinions and suggestions.

 

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I just finished working on the colored version of the art to send off to the mint. This is the antique nickel and hard enamel version. There will also be a 2-tone and a version colored with fused glass. There may even be others if I am inspired. Thanks to everyone for the encouragement!

 

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Edited by GregsonVaux
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I think it's easier said that I love every coin designed by you. Dawning Hope is still my most loved coin in my collection. This coin is no exception!

 

Thanks for saying so Mooncat. Designing coins takes much much longer than I thought when I first decided to do it, so I am glad that someone appreciates the work. For me, this is a labor of love and artistic expression, but I am glad that the effort is not for myself only. There have been all sort of ideas, images, and feelings inside my head for so long and finally I found a way to get them out.

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I think it's easier said that I love every coin designed by you. Dawning Hope is still my most loved coin in my collection. This coin is no exception!

 

Thanks for saying so Mooncat. Designing coins takes much much longer than I thought when I first decided to do it, so I am glad that someone appreciates the work. For me, this is a labor of love and artistic expression, but I am glad that the effort is not for myself only. There have been all sort of ideas, images, and feelings inside my head for so long and finally I found a way to get them out.

 

And I am happy you have found a media like this to express those ideas images and feelings. I couldn't be more happy in that!

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Nice! I am interested to see how the glass looks. I read your other post about durability.

 

The cloisonne Dawning Hope Traveler coins are scheduled to arrive this coming Monday and I will try to post some pictures shortly after that. If you want to get a really good look, you could always order one. :)

Edited by GregsonVaux
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I now have all three editions of the coin designed. My intention, at this time, is to limit each edition to 100 coins for a total of 300 coins, but that could change depending on a few factors that are still tentative. However, I will have edition numbers 100% worked out before any go on sale.

 

The three editions are:

 

"A New Day" - epoxy enamel on antique nickel, shown in post #5

"The First Sunset" - cloisonne (fused glass) on solid antique copper, shown below

"All Through The Night" - epoxy enamel on 2-tone gold and black nickel, shown below

 

The antique copper edition will be extra special in that it will be solid copper so that the copper color will last the age of the coin. The color will be fused glass, which can also be expected to last vastly longer than epoxy colors used in other coins. The ocean on this coin will be transparent blue glass over a gritty texture, which I hope will make the ocean appear to sparkle.

 

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"The First Sunset"

 

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"All Through The Night"

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Today the mint sent me pictures of the samples. When the full production run arrives, I plan on selling and auctioning a limited number of sets to help promote Geocoinfest US 2011.

 

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Here is the front of "The First Sunset". This coin is cloisonne (fused borosilicate glass) on solid copper. This side showcases bare copper,

 

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Here is the back. All of the colors are glass to withstand the ravages of time. The ocean is a breathtaking transparent blue glass and you can see the gritty texture underneath.

 

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This is the front of the "All Through The Night" edition. It is two tone 18 karat gold and black nickel with hard enamel on a bronze core,

 

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"All through The Night" back

 

ANewDay-Front.jpg

The is the front of "A New Day". It is antique nickel and hard enamel on a bronze core.

 

ANewDay-Back.jpg

"A New Day" back

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The coins arrived yesterday and I am quite happy with them. If I were forced to pick a favorite version, it would probably be "All Through the Night"; the gold on black nickel works so well. The final picture is the custom icon. These will be for sale at Geocoinfest in South Carolina, but to advertise that event, I will be auctioning off one set a week until GCF takes place in October. If I have any left, they will be for sale on my web site, but I hope to sell them all there.

 

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LOVE 'em!!! Glad I'm going to GCF!!!

 

Thanks! It will be good to see you and drneal there.

 

For those of you who are not going, I am auctioning off one set each week until GCF starts. There is an auction going on right now and the coins are currently a bargain. Of course, I have no control over the bidding, so they may go up in price. Here are the coins:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270799127951&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270798507795&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

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I will be there at GCF and it will be my first one attending. I like the "all through the night" and would like to pick one up there. I'm hoping to see and meet everyone from these forums that will be attending.

 

I have shown the three coins to a lot of people and EVERY SINGLE ONE of them has said that "All Through the Night" is their favorite. Now I wish that I had made more than 100 of that edition. It does tell me that I will need to include that 2-tone color combination on other coins.

 

Whoops, maybe I shouldn't have siad that; now everyone is going to be producing gold on black coins. :) Since I am from Pittsburgh, maybe I need to make a black and gold Steelers coin.

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I will be there at GCF and it will be my first one attending. I like the "all through the night" and would like to pick one up there. I'm hoping to see and meet everyone from these forums that will be attending.

 

I have shown the three coins to a lot of people and EVERY SINGLE ONE of them has said that "All Through the Night" is their favorite. Now I wish that I had made more than 100 of that edition. It does tell me that I will need to include that 2-tone color combination on other coins.

 

Whoops, maybe I shouldn't have siad that; now everyone is going to be producing gold on black coins. :) Since I am from Pittsburgh, maybe I need to make a black and gold Steelers coin.

 

be daring...go green and white!

 

ILYK
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These coins are now for sale on my web site for $5 each. At this price, I would request that 50% be placed into caches. This is not a rule that I will enforce, but just a request so that the coins will travel and keep caching fun.

 

The coins can be found at this link:

 

Low cost coins - perfect for caches

Gee at these prices I'll be able to donate coins to other events, just ordered a batch. They are one fine looking coin and if you decide to do the black & gold steeler version count me in :D

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