My fascination with Phrygian caps/poles

[MJ]

Ok I have always had a thing about Phrygian caps and poles. I love the whole freedom and liberty association with them though out various cultures including US coin design. I'm a fashion designer by trade and hats/caps have become an integral part of the industry the past decade. So when I got a chance to integrate my work with my play I jumped on these two Condor tokens. I have always enjoyed macabre themed coins and Thomas Paine hanging men tokens in particular. Add in some color and I'm totally sated with these two pieces.

 

Both tokens illicit an emotional response from me. Maybe, I need to get out more. The first token pictured is quite rare for the the series. I had never seen one prior and the boys at CRO had never handled one before. The obverse is literally a treasure trove of symbolism. It takes me back to those childhood magazines------" How many things can you find on this page" type of thing. The second token is also a piece I have never seen before in that obverse/reverse combination. It is subtle, powerful and beautiful in my opinion. I thank John and Dave for working with me on these two pieces. I smell another sub series in my future. MJ

 

 

[zboyle04]

i can't believe they made a token with the image of a guy hanging on it, pretty crazy

[BillJones]

i can't believe they made a token with the image of a guy hanging on it, pretty crazy

 

The "guy" in question was Thomas Paine. Paine is remembered for his American Revolutionary War tract, "Common Sense." After that his life kind of went down hill. His ideas about political freedom were not popular, especially in England when he was hung on this and few other tokens.

 

There is also a Civil War era piece that shows Confederate president, Jefferson Davis, hanged as a traitor. I’d show you a picture, but Photobucket is not being kind this morning.

 

[MJ]

i can't believe they made a token with the image of a guy hanging on it, pretty crazy

 

The "guy" in question was Thomas Paine. Paine is remembered for his American Revolutionary War tract, "Common Sense." After that his life kind of went down hill. His ideas about political freedom were not popular, especially in England when he was hung on this and few other tokens.

 

There is also a Civil War era piece that shows Confederate president, Jefferson Davis, hanged as a traitor. I’d show you a picture, but Photobucket is not being kind this morning.

 

Bill.

 

I happen to have one of those myself. MJ

 

 

[Conder101]

Paine eventually wound up being persona non gratia pretty much everywhere. After his pamphlets printed to support our revolution his outspokenness resulted in America becoming rather uncomfortable for him and he went to England. While there he wrote pamphlets in support of the French Revolution which earned him the wrath of the English authorities and he escaped to France shortly ahead of those who would have strung him up like shown on the tokens. After the French Revolution degenerated into The Terror his writing turned against the revolutionaries and he eventually had to skip the country again to avoid the guillotine. So he returned to the United States.