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Introducing A L Nalick


By Barry Homrighaus RM1548, Stephen Alpert HLM10, Arturo Del Favero HLM552

The three coins shown below were frst suggested as a match sixteen years ago by then OHNS Archivist Arturo “Cinco” Del Favero. Art recalled a BoTales article by Stephen “Big One” Alpert, penned nine years earlier, which described a coin with the words “BY AL NALICK” punched on the reverse (#1). Art owned two coins he believed were matches, one with the inscription “BY ALN” (#2), and one with no name or initials (#3). BoTales editor Ralph “Bazoo” Winter reprinted Steve’s article along with pictures of all three coins in 2009 and issued a call for anyone who had information about Nalick, or had a matching coin. There is no record of a response to that call.

I discovered these articles when reviewing old copies of BoTales and endeavored to track down A. L. Nalick. My research came to a dead end. I found a wealth of information on a gentleman named A. L. Nalick who lived at the right time and had the right engraving and jewelry skills to have been the carver of these coins. But the Nalick I researched had no children; and distant relatives with whom I corresponded could provide no insights.

The OHNS team who review potential matches agree that these coins are the work of a single artist. So, while we cannot identify Mr. Nalick as a known carver, we can recognize him with the nickname, “A L Nalick.”

#1
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#2
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#3
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The carving characteristics for "A L Nalick" are listed as follows:

  1. Smooth felds with LIBERTY remaining but dates removed.
  2. Straight-brimmed derby hats with low (#1 & #2) or medium height crowns.
  3. No profle changes.
  4. Chiseled or wriggle-cut full beards that come to a point at or near the rim.
  5. Added eyebrows over slightly modifed eyes.
  6. Engraved ears with some internal detail. Top of ear on carvings #2 & 3 partly under brim.
  7. Hair and beard do not connect below ear, leaving a clean neck.
  8. Plain, straight, high collars above defned lapels.
  9. All carvings have additional carved or liner tool texture or detail on collars and lapels.
  10. Matching style of punched lettering on reverse of two coins (#1 & 2). No name or initials on #3.