CHILDS, Shubael D. (b 1799, fl 1821-1860) engraver, Boston (1821-26), New York City (1831-37), Chicago (1837-
60); founder Childs and Company, Chicago, 1837. Taught engraving to his younger brother, Benjamin F. Childs,
Henry Kinnersley (and perhaps others) who remained in New York, while he moved to Chicago, establishing an
engraving, seal-cutting and diesinking business (their claim in 1861: largest west of NYC). His son, Shubael D. Jr.,
assisted him as early as 1851 and assumed control of the business on his father's death.
The firm survived the Chicago Fire of 1870 and was a major supplier of diestruck items for the Columbian
Exposition (1892-3). It continued business w2ell into the 20th century but turned more toward advertising
specialties.
C A M P A I G N I T E M S
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Wide Awake Star Medal.DeWitt AL 1860-1
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Railsplitter Medal . DeWitt AL 1860-2
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 63:78
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Railsplitter Medal . DeWitt AL 1860-3
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PCA 73:435
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Railsplitter Medal (no inscription
on reverse). . . . . . . . . . . . . . DeWitt AL 1860-4
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Railsplitter Progress
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DeWitt AL 1860-10
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PCA 73:304, pca 78:318
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Railsplitter Medal (no
inscription on either side). . . . . . DeWitt AL 1860-11
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Shield Pin . . . . . DeWitt AL 1860-27
1860 Douglas (Stephen) Memorial Medal . . . DeWitt SD 1860-5a
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 63:1229
M E D A L S
n.d. Stephenson (Dr. B.F.) Portrait Medal . . . . . . . .
A R C H I V E S
DS Schenkman (David) Engravers, Diesinkers Databank.
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 125.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 1:636.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
E3 {1902-30} Forrer 1:423.
S1 {1924} King lists all the Lincoln medals attributed to the firm of S.D. Childs & Company.
S11 {1959} DeWitt, AL 1860-1 through AL 1860-4 p x, AL 1860-10, AL 1860-11,
AL 1860-27, SD 1860-5a
E10 {1970} Gladfelter. Civil War Die Sinkers. Journal of the Civil War Token Society
4:2 (Summer 1970)p 8; 12:4 (Winter 1978) p 132.
E18 {1985} McSorley.
R10 {1990} Bazelon and McGuinn, p 21.
S58 {1999} Rulau. Standard Catalog of U.S. Tokens, p 87,192, 348.
S60 {2001} Rulau. Hard Times Tokens, p 15.
Mss Smith (Pete) Private Mints in North America.
60); founder Childs and Company, Chicago, 1837. Taught engraving to his younger brother, Benjamin F. Childs,
Henry Kinnersley (and perhaps others) who remained in New York, while he moved to Chicago, establishing an
engraving, seal-cutting and diesinking business (their claim in 1861: largest west of NYC). His son, Shubael D. Jr.,
assisted him as early as 1851 and assumed control of the business on his father's death.
The firm survived the Chicago Fire of 1870 and was a major supplier of diestruck items for the Columbian
Exposition (1892-3). It continued business w2ell into the 20th century but turned more toward advertising
specialties.
C A M P A I G N I T E M S
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Wide Awake Star Medal.DeWitt AL 1860-1
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Railsplitter Medal . DeWitt AL 1860-2
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 63:78
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Railsplitter Medal . DeWitt AL 1860-3
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PCA 73:435
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Railsplitter Medal (no inscription
on reverse). . . . . . . . . . . . . . DeWitt AL 1860-4
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Railsplitter Progress
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DeWitt AL 1860-10
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PCA 73:304, pca 78:318
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Railsplitter Medal (no
inscription on either side). . . . . . DeWitt AL 1860-11
1860 Lincoln (Abraham) Shield Pin . . . . . DeWitt AL 1860-27
1860 Douglas (Stephen) Memorial Medal . . . DeWitt SD 1860-5a
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 63:1229
M E D A L S
n.d. Stephenson (Dr. B.F.) Portrait Medal . . . . . . . .
A R C H I V E S
DS Schenkman (David) Engravers, Diesinkers Databank.
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 125.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 1:636.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
E3 {1902-30} Forrer 1:423.
S1 {1924} King lists all the Lincoln medals attributed to the firm of S.D. Childs & Company.
S11 {1959} DeWitt, AL 1860-1 through AL 1860-4 p x, AL 1860-10, AL 1860-11,
AL 1860-27, SD 1860-5a
E10 {1970} Gladfelter. Civil War Die Sinkers. Journal of the Civil War Token Society
4:2 (Summer 1970)p 8; 12:4 (Winter 1978) p 132.
E18 {1985} McSorley.
R10 {1990} Bazelon and McGuinn, p 21.
S58 {1999} Rulau. Standard Catalog of U.S. Tokens, p 87,192, 348.
S60 {2001} Rulau. Hard Times Tokens, p 15.
Mss Smith (Pete) Private Mints in North America.