Owner Comments:
Medal, 1875, WM, PARK THEATRE'S PRESENTATION MEDAL FOR 100TH PERFORMANCE OF "THE MIGHTY DOLLAR", Julian J-CM-33, Rulau R-NY-NY-240, NGC AU58, Cert# 2207071-008. This is a US Mint Medal notated by Julian. Obv. Conjoined Busts of Mr. & Mrs. Wm. J. Florence, legend around curved edge "Presented By Mr. & Mrs. Wm. J. Florence; Rv. Park Theatre at top following curved edge, December 13th 1875 below, curved, then straight 5 lines of inscription: 100 dth / Night / Of The / Mighty / Dollar. Laurel Design with tied bow at bottom, beaded border surrounds. Attractive, Scarce and Popular both as a Theater Collectible and Medal Collectible. Rare in Un-Holed Condition as this happy example is. The Following Appeared in the New York Daily Tribune, Weds. November 17, 1875, Page 4: Park Theatre. The 100th Performance of "The Mighty Dollar" will be reached at the Park Theatre December 17 (13th?), and the Occasion is to be Commemorated. Every Lady who attends on that Evening, will receive a silver medal of the size and weight of a trade dollar, while each member of the dramatic company will receive a medal of bronze". The peaceful image of patience, much exemplified in various ways by the statue of "The Mighty Dollar", might not be an inappropriate inscription for these Souvenirs. Mrs. Florence intends that the 100th Night of Mr Wooli's Play shall be Uncommonly Cheerful and Brilliant. The Play Plot: Mighty Dollar, The (1875), a play by Benjamin E. Woolf. [ Park Theatre, 104 perf.] The most famous salon in Washington is appropriately named Grabmoor, for it is here that the leading wheelers and dealers come to contrive arrangements that will allow them to pile up the mighty dollar. They stop their greedy machinations for a few moments to help a newly married lady, Clara Dart (Maude Granger), when she is bothered by a former suitor, but the money grubbing continues the moment she leaves. Prominent among the figures at Grabmoor are the not particularly ethical Congressman, the Hon. Bardwell Slote (W. J. Florence), and Mrs. General Gilflory (Mrs. Florence). Slote is given to qualifying his statements with “not by a large majority,” and dropping such abbreviations as B. O. T. and P. D. Q., which he later explains mean “bully old time” and “pretty darn quick.” The upstart Mrs. Gilflory has her own pet phrases to show off her learning, most notably “from Alpha to Omaha.” Assailed by critics as vulgar and formless, the comedy nevertheless gave the Florences their most enduring success and added the colorful character of Slote to the body of dramatic literature.