1815 TIME CAPSULE AT BALTIMORE'S WASHINGTON MONUMENT

Another centuries-old time capsule has been discovered during restoration work on a notable American building, and coins could very well be inside.

An original cornerstone of the Washington Monument in Baltimore, placed in 1815, that, based on records of the time, is believed to contain coins, paper items and a copper plate, was discovered on Feb. 16 and opened on Feb. 18.

“This has all unfolded very, very quickly,” said Cathy Rosenbaum of Mount Vernon Place Conservancy, the organization working to preserve the Washington Monument.

Rosenbaum said that during the opening, three glass jars with newspapers rolled up inside could be seen and were photographed. However, the cornerstone and its contents were too cold to begin removal, so whatever else is inside and under the jars has not yet been revealed.

Mount Vernon Place Conservancy does not have any information yet about the number or type of coins that are believed to be inside.

Conservators are currently developing a plan to remove the items from the cornerstone, Rosenbaum said, but no time frame has been announced.

To read the complete article, see:
Granite cornerstone at Washington Monument discovered Feb. 16 and opened Feb. 18 (www.coinworld.com/news/time-capsule-1815-baltimore-washington-monument-coin-world-numismatics-discoveries.html)

The laying of the cornerstone in 1815 was of national interest because Baltimore’s Washington Monument was the first American monument dedicated to the Father of American democracy. Interestingly, the cornerstone laying ceremony was well documented, but the location of the cornerstone was not mentioned, and its location had been lost to time. The stone was discovered while George Wilk, II, Project Superintendent for Lewis Contractors, was overseeing the digging of a pit for a sewage tank off the northeast corner of the building.

The cornerstone is a large square of granite with a marble lid. Its overall dimensions form a nearly-perfect cube measuring 24 inches. Conservators from the nearby Walters Art Museum will assist in removing the contents of the cornerstone. Accounts mention papers items and coinage, typical cornerstone offerings at the time. The condition of the items is unknown. As the cornerstone is well below grade, 200 years of dampness may have compromised their condition. After the cornerstone has been opened the contents will be taken to the nearby Walters Art Museum for safekeeping and conservation analysis while work on the Monument restoration continues.

To read the complete press release, see:
200-Year-Old Cornerstone Discovered During Baltimore’s Washington Monument Restoration (http://mvpconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/MVPC_Cornerstone_PR_2_16_2015_v4.pdf)

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