KEY, Frederick C. (active 1840-60) Early American
engraver, diesinker, embosser, in New York City,
1844-46, in Philadelphia afterwards.
His son, William H. Key, also an engraver and advertised
(1854-60) as F.C. Key & Son. Frederick made molds for
daguerreotype cases (under brand name Excelsior) and
invented a hinge located inside the cases. He created
these for Scovill of Waterbury and for Samuel Peck of
New Haven (who first was a partner with Scovill in a
company making daguerreotype cases), later as S. Peck
& Company.
Frederick Key signed dies KEY.
C A M P A I G N M E D A L S
1840 Van Buren (Martin) The People's Choice
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Low 57, DeWitt MVB 1840-7
M E D A L S
1850ca Key (F.C.) Die Sinkers Philadelphia
Storecard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miller Pa 268, Rulau Pa-Ph 171
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 51:521
R E P L I C A S & R E I S S U E S
1799 (struck 1868) Washington and Grant Medal [Rulau and Fuld
attribute this medal to Frederick C. Key–because of
signature KEY F–actually work of his son, William
H. Key and the F is fecit). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baker 254
A R C H I V E S
DS Schenkman (David) Engravers, Diesinkers Databank.
Mss Smith (Pete) Private Mints in North America.
B I O G R A P H I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
D8 {1926} Fielding, p 198.
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 368.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 485.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 2:1834.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
S11 {1959} DeWitt, p 175-176.
E10 {1970} Gladfelter. Civil War Die Sinkers. Journal of the Civil War Token Society
4:3 (Fall 1970) p 8; 12:4 (Winter 1978) p 133.
S48 {1985} Rulau and Fuld (Baker) 94, p 66; 254, 96 (misattributed to Frederick Key).
R10 {1990} Bazelon and McGuinn, p 76.
S58 {1999} Rulau. Standard Catalog U.S. Tokens, p 192, 348, 479; Pa 4 to Pa 7,
p 294-295.
engraver, diesinker, embosser, in New York City,
1844-46, in Philadelphia afterwards.
His son, William H. Key, also an engraver and advertised
(1854-60) as F.C. Key & Son. Frederick made molds for
daguerreotype cases (under brand name Excelsior) and
invented a hinge located inside the cases. He created
these for Scovill of Waterbury and for Samuel Peck of
New Haven (who first was a partner with Scovill in a
company making daguerreotype cases), later as S. Peck
& Company.
Frederick Key signed dies KEY.
C A M P A I G N M E D A L S
1840 Van Buren (Martin) The People's Choice
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Low 57, DeWitt MVB 1840-7
M E D A L S
1850ca Key (F.C.) Die Sinkers Philadelphia
Storecard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miller Pa 268, Rulau Pa-Ph 171
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 51:521
R E P L I C A S & R E I S S U E S
1799 (struck 1868) Washington and Grant Medal [Rulau and Fuld
attribute this medal to Frederick C. Key–because of
signature KEY F–actually work of his son, William
H. Key and the F is fecit). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baker 254
A R C H I V E S
DS Schenkman (David) Engravers, Diesinkers Databank.
Mss Smith (Pete) Private Mints in North America.
B I O G R A P H I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
D8 {1926} Fielding, p 198.
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 368.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 485.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 2:1834.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
S11 {1959} DeWitt, p 175-176.
E10 {1970} Gladfelter. Civil War Die Sinkers. Journal of the Civil War Token Society
4:3 (Fall 1970) p 8; 12:4 (Winter 1978) p 133.
S48 {1985} Rulau and Fuld (Baker) 94, p 66; 254, 96 (misattributed to Frederick Key).
R10 {1990} Bazelon and McGuinn, p 76.
S58 {1999} Rulau. Standard Catalog U.S. Tokens, p 192, 348, 479; Pa 4 to Pa 7,
p 294-295.