The Seth Thomas Centennial Medal
By 
A guest post by Jonathan Luysterborghs. In the summer of 1913 the Seth Thomas Clock Company issued Centennial Medals to celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of the original founding of the company in 1813. The medals were designed by Seth Thomas jr., the great-grandson of the founder of the Seth Thomas Clock Company. The Centennial Medals were two and one half inches (2 1/2”) in diameter, struck in bronze with a gold finish. The obverse displays a portrait of Seth Thomas, in relief. Around the edge it reads “To Commemorate The 100th Year of Seth Thomas Clock Co”. At the sides of the portrait “ Seth Thomas” and “1785-1859” is inscribed. On the reverse there is a figure representing Father Time holding a pendulum in his right hand swinging over a scale marked 1813 – 1913. The pendulum ball bears the Seth Thomas trade mark. In Father Time’s left hand is a scythe. To his right is an hourglass.
Below is the October 1914 correspondence between the American Numismatic Society and Seth Thomas Clock Company requesting the donation of a Seth Thomas Centennial Medal to the American Numismatic Society. A clearly printed replica copy is provided for viewing after the original.
Below is the October 1914 correspondence between Seth Thomas Clock Company and the American Numismatic Society acknowledging their impending donation of a Seth Thomas Centennial Medal to the American Numismatic Society.
Below is the October 1914 correspondence between the American Numismatic Society and Seth Thomas Clock Company thanking Seth Thomas Clock company for donation of a Seth Thomas Centennial Medal. A clearly printed replica copy is provided for viewing after the original.
I have been able to purchase two of the Seth Thomas Centennial Medals that were produced for the celebration of the Seth Thomas Clock Company’s 100th anniversary in 1913. The two medals that I own can be seen below.
Because they are medals; not coins, I prefer the cleaned medal over the one with its patina undisturbed and intact. I am grateful to be able to display two Seth Thomas Centennial Medals, each in a different condition of preservation one-hundred twelve years after they were released in the summer of 1913.
Later that year on September 1st of 1913 the Seth Thomas Clock Company released its Catalog No. 701 “Seth Thomas Watch Movements”. Catalog No. 701 was also marked as the “Centennial Edition” Trade Price List.
Within its Catalog No. 701 Seth Thomas created its fourth and final factory named grade. Centennial grade joined Century, Maiden Lane, and Henry Molineux in the history of Seth Thomas pocket watches by adding three new unique products to the line. Centennial grade brought forth a new open-face 6-size pocket watch that was adapted to a snug 6-size case, which made it look like a 4-size watch. All previous 6-size Seth Thomas pocket watches were based upon a hunting-oriented movement. Centennial grade also brought forth a 12-size open-face pocket watch and a 16-size open-face pocket watch to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Seth Thomas clock company. A more complete exploration of Seth Thomas Centennial grade pocket watches will be undertaken in an upcoming article entitled “Seth Thomas Centennial Grade Pocket Watches”.
Although the pocket watch part of the business ended only two years later, the Seth Thomas clock company continued on without other major changes until World War II made it necessary for industrial production to be diverted to wartime needs. Unfortunately, many of our local industries in Connecticut, including Seth Thomas, were never able to fully re-tool to civilian production after the war.
