# Early Basketball Medal - Value?



## seanb (Feb 23, 2013)

Found this today when cleaning out a jewelry box, anyone know the value? From my research, it seems to be made about 1910, the writing on the back is hand etched in gold, and it is made by Dieges & Clust.


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## seanb (Feb 23, 2013)

Back - Says, "Hamilton Inst // Girls // Basket Ball [note the space] // Helen Cooper


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## cowseatmaize (Feb 23, 2013)

I wouldn't guess the value with gold being so up there. I'd put the treasure value at much more than melt regardless of karat. That a cool find by a respected and known maker!


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## frozenmonkeyface (Feb 23, 2013)

I wonder if a jewelry shop could give you an estimate? Or even a local gold/coin/silver collector. Tell them you are looking to insure it not sell it so they give you the actual worth, not what they want to pay you for it. Just an idea.


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## epackage (Feb 23, 2013)

I didn't think gold tarnished


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## seanb (Feb 23, 2013)

Thanks for the recommendation. I will take it to a jeweler and a coin dealer and see what they each have to say.


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## seanb (Feb 23, 2013)

I didn't think so either; however I looked it up and sure enough, gold tarnishes. I'm pretty sure the whole thing is bronze and the writing on the back is gold, but who knows? I'll have to see since that same company made medals out of gold.


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## cowseatmaize (Feb 23, 2013)

> ORIGINAL:  epackage
> 
> I didn't think gold tarnished


Beats me? I shrunk them down a bit though. Those were ginormous pics.


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## 2find4me (Feb 23, 2013)

.


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## 2find4me (Feb 23, 2013)

Similar Medal:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dieges-Clust-Athletic-Track-Medal-Sterling-Enamel-1914-/300857116602?pt=Vintage_Sports_Memorabilia&hash=item460c7b47ba&nma=true&si=KxE8D0DXV0t6nCppG9I9lC6uie0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557


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## epackage (Feb 24, 2013)

I hope they are gold but I find it hard to believe they would make them in sterling and stamp them but they didn't stamp the gold ones.


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## cowseatmaize (Feb 24, 2013)

> I hope they are gold but I find it hard to believe they would make them in sterling and stamp them but they didn't stamp the gold ones.


 Good point, maybe under 14K they didn't bother and maybe that would explain the tarnish. I guess A jeweler, like capsoda would know more. I think he was a jeweler? I don't remember for sure.
 I wonder how he and the family are? They definitely had some family health things going on. He, his wife and son for sure.


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## cmulliganNWI (Feb 25, 2013)

It might be worth more to a sports collector. Not many schools had girls sports in those days. This also isn't long after the sport was invented. Great find!


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