The Jamestown Church Bell Tower Ruin - From Coin to Reality

[BillJones]

One think I like to do when I visit a structure or image that is on a coin is to grab of photo of both so that I can compare the two. Last week I visited "The Historic Triangle" which is Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown.

 

The only original above ground structure from the 17th century that is still standing in Jamestown is the church bell tower. Opinions differ on when it was built. They range from 1639 to 1680 or even the 1690s. My guess would be 1680. It stands just inside the Jamestown fort after it was expanded from the original three sides to five sides. It was a part of the fifth Jamestown church. The building which stands to the right of it is the reconstructed church which was dedicated in 1907 for the 300th anniversary.

 

The obverse of the coin:

 

 

The bell towner:

 

 

The reverse of the coim. This is Captian John Smith and the Indian chief, Powhatan, who was the father of Pocahontas.

 

[breakdown-migration]

Great post, Bill. Is there a fence there or did the coin's designer add that feature?

[BillJones]

The fence was there years ago, going by the old photos, but it is no longer there now.