Featured Fostoria Glass Company 'Coin' pattern cake stands

This is my collection of Fostoria "Coin" cake stands. Fostoria Glass Company made their 'Coin' cake stands in the five colors as shown in the first images. Fostoria introduced the 'Coin' pattern in crystal clear glass in 1958; blue and amber colors were added in 1963; emerald green was made only in 1965 and then changed to olive green; ruby red was introduced in 1967. Although the 'Coin' pattern was made in ruby glass there was no cake stands in ruby. A color that Fostoria did NOT produce in the 'Coin' pattern is purple; however the crystal version of Fostoria 'Coin' contains manganese, which turns the glass purple when exposed to high doses of UV light. The purple version of the cake stand pictured here (for illustration purposes only) is the result of 'damage' to a crystal cake stand from extended exposure to a UV light source; other pieces in purple have been known to show up for sale as well.

Fostoria created a version of their 'Coin' pattern for Avon with the date on the coins as 1886 to commemorate Avon's founding; tho' 'Coin' pattern pieces with the 1886 date were not exclusive to Avon. The date on the original Fostoria 'Coin' pattern was 1887 to commemorate Fostoria's founding in Fostoria, Ohio. Fostoria also made promotional items in the 'Coin' pattern for the Boy Scouts with their emblem and the U.S. House of Representatives with their seal. Lancaster Colony purchased the molds for the 'Coin' pattern and has reproduced some pieces without frosted coins.

 

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, MANNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beautiful as a stained-glass window!

Edit - So... is purple-ized glass considered damaged by collectors?? I had guessed it would be prized, or at least a variation collectors might want.

 

yes, purple in this case is damage... as also with many EAPG pieces which have been intentionally turned purple by UV light exposure. This is sometimes called 'sun purpled' since glass containing manganese turns purple when over exposed to the sun's UV rays. It's considered damaged because that color was NOT made by the manufacturer; also the purple coloration can vary greatly depending on extent of UV exposure making for inconsistent results.

 

Thank you. I totally see the logic of that as you explain it. I had NO IDEA, obviously! Thank you!
Gila

 

Thank you for sharing, TallCakes. I see a lot of the coin pattern but very rarely the cake stands.
Don

 

Another question, please? So do these coin patterns all contain magnesium, and might they also be damaged by UV, producing sort of a orangey color out of yellow, an amethyst out of blue, a brownish out of the greens? But maybe the temptation to damage is most common with the clear, since purple is so pretty to the uninformed wannabe glassie?

 

Thanks, Mr. Moderator! They really are pretty TO ME... the subtler tones.

 

Toss me in the "It's ok if it is naturally purpled," camp.

It is a natural reaction that happens over time. Vase etc are set out to be enjoyed, and it is merely a property of the glass composition.

Now, nuking the hell out of a crystal clear piece to make it purple? Are people stupid?

That is my .02 cents

 

hard to say for sure; the way to check for manganese content in glass is to look at it under UV light in total darkness where the edges and thick design areas will show as yellow-green. The blue one does have manganese, but the other colors are difficult to really tell; green still look green under UV. Manganese was/is used to obtain clarity in the glass. Manganese began to be used in glass during the Civil War era in the USA as lead was being diverted for the war effort; thus much EAPG contains manganese. Earlier glass containing lead is called flint glass.

Not saying that there are folks who may like/enjoy sun-purpled glass. But that does not make it more desirable and many serious collectors deem it damaged. Unfortunately (especially for rarer EAPG) intentionally damaging glass in this manner diminishes the availability of quality crystal clear glass.

 

Thank you soooooo much. I consider myself officially smarter on this subject. Feels good! Thanks to all.

 

It's an impressive collection.

I had this coin bowl with Canadian Centennial coin designs (by Alex Colville):


Do you know if there's a cake stand with these patterns?

 

Duplicate

 

typically commemorative glass is limited to smaller items as this nappy. I've not seen any cake stands included.

 

Tallcakes. Those are fantastic. I've owned many original FCG pieces, and my brother, seriously, had at least 2 or 3 hundred. (His house burned down.)
We both started when we inherited several from our mother's estate. Mine have basically gone to my heirs - or eBayers.

Never even thought of a crystal FCG piece being sun damaged. Nor did I care to look at any pieces in any shade of purple. BUT, the one above is an exception. It's a monster, but a beautiful monster.
If you ever decide to part with it, let me know. Especially if the emerald one might accompany it.

 

Beautiful! Thank you for sharing. How many cake stands do you have in your collection? How do you display them?

 

@TOG: the purple salver image is one 'borrowed' from the www. It's the only one I've seen, tho' I've seen other pieces of FCG in various shades of purple.

@MCT: I have over 200 stands, but not certain at the exact count. I'm really going to get busy soon, photographing and updating my database so I know what I do have. I have cake stands everywhere, even on the bathroom counters. The largest display is in the dining room on a cantilevered glass shelf that surrounds the room, which displays more than 80 stands.

 

That Cake Stand seems really Purple for it to be Sun-Purpled. People now-a-days will buy Repops of the Coin pattern and put Acid on the Coins to make them look old. I've seen a few of them and they look good. Beware!!

 

May I ask a question of the glass experts gathered here, please.
Is "Ruby Red Glass" copyrighted by Anchor Hocking? Was, and expired?

Yes, I've heard that the FCG coins can easily be frosted. But I've also heard that there are documented non frosted coins distributed by Fostoria in the early days.

Lancaster's early green glass was easily distinguishable from Olive or Emerald. Also the red. Very orangey. My standard check now is the dots on the coins. Unless they have finally reworked the moulds some of the dots are non-existent, especially on the bottom of the coins.

Please don't take this wrong, but I consider Lancaster coin glass as reissued, not reproduced. Repro to me is something with a new mould.

 

That is quite a collection. I would love to see pictures of your dining room.