First-strike ceremony in Carson City set for Nevada Sagebrush commemorative medallion
Submitted by editor on Mon, 09/17/2018 - 2:23pm
A limited-edition silver medallion honoring the 125th birthday of The Nevada Sagebrush, the student newspaper of the University of Nevada, Reno, will be minted on the state’s most historic coin press in Carson City.
The “first-strike” ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 20 at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City. Members of the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, which privately funded the medallion, and current staff members of the Sagebrush will be in attendance along with museum staff.
The .999 pure silver medallions will be struck on the museum’s historic Coin Press No. 1, the same coin press that struck millions of dollars in gold and silver coins at the U.S. Branch Mint in Carson City in the late 1800s.
The medallion’s front features lettering from a 1940s era Sagebrush, a quill to represent journalism and a “Block N” to represent the university, and the famous “CC” mint mark. The back side of the coin is the seal of the state of Nevada.
“We wanted something special for the 125th anniversary and felt that a limited edition of 125 medallions would be a fitting tribute,” said Amy Beck, president of the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter. “Tying it in with state history and the old coin press makes it even more special.”
The medallions will be given as “thank you” gifts to the first 125 people who purchase tickets to the annual Sagebrush Alumni Chapter Dinner. The dinner is Oct. 19 – the 125th anniversary of the first edition of the newspaper – at Pinocchio’s Bar & Grill in Reno.
The Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter was founded in 2012 and is part of the University of Nevada Alumni Association. Its membership is made up of former Sagebrush staff members and friends of the paper. Its mission is to provide monetary and professional support to the current Sagebrush staff.
The NO. 1: Historic coin press No. 1 was the first press at the U.S. Branch Mint in Carson City when it opened in 1870. When the Carson City Mint was closed in 1893, the press was sent to the Philadelphia Mint and later converted from steam power to electric power and transferred to the San Francisco Mint.
In 1958, it was scheduled to be scrapped until a keen-eyed journalist spotted it and alerted the Nevada State Museum. It was sold to the State of Nevada for $225. The museum has used it to create numerous commemorative medallions.
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