AMTG Virtual Chincoteague Pony Night Time GC

Remind us of the simple treasures we have in the US. Prevent cruelty to animals.

Large coin with heft. The font of this coin has excellent 3-D metal work. The animals are lifelike and the grass and ocean have delicate detail There is a small bird standing on the mare's back. The detail in the feathers shows the extent of the design and workmanship. The rim has repeating birds and scritp that says "Chincoteague Pony A Living Treasure". The reverse continues the theme. In this, the night edition, the enamel is matted maroon and black in the sky and translucent glitter in the water and ground. The 3-D work is very detailed in the sinking sailing ship (which is how the horses came to the island and ran feral). The 3-D is done in bery unusual relief work and you can see the grass as well as the rigging on the ship. The moon is glow in the dark. I think this one is more attractive than the day time one but both are breathtaking for animal lovers. Excellent coin. ----Coin info: Two herds of wild horses make their home on Assateague Island, separated by a fence at the Maryland-Virginia line, and they are often seen wandering the beaches, roadways, trails and campgrounds on the island. These small but sturdy, shaggy horses have adapted to their environment over the years by eating dune and marsh grasses and drinking fresh water from ponds. While they appear tame, they are wild, and Park Rangers urge visitors not to feed or pet them. The Maryland herd is managed by the National Park Service. The Virginia herd is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and allowed by permit to graze on the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Each year the Virginia herd is rounded up for the internationally recognized Pony Penning and Auction.
According to romantic legend, the horses arrived on Assateague when a Spanish galleon with a cargo of wild mustangs sunk off the coast. The surviving animals swam to shore and are the ancestors of today's herds. Unfortunately, the horses have a more practical origin. Most likely they are descendants of herds turned loose by early settlers. The island provided a perfect grazing land with naturally "fenced" boundaries.

Penning began as a way for livestock owners to claim, brand, break and harness their loose herds. The earliest known description of Pony Penning was published in 1835.

The penning continued on both islands for years. By 1885 they were held on Assateague one day and Chincoteague the next. Assateague also had a Sheep Penning, which is believed to be a custom even older than the others. Word of the events began to spread, and hotels and boarding houses were booked for the festivities. In 1909, the last Wednesday and Thursday of July were set as the official dates for the yearly events.

The most renowned aspect of Pony Penning, the swim across the Assateague Channel, dates from the early 1920's. In 1923 the event moved to Chincoteague with one penning for both islands. The herds were at first transferred by boat, but in 1925 they were swum across the channel and Pony Penning's "modern" era began.

In 1925 the town authorized the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company to hold a carnival during Pony Penning to raise funds. That year over 15 colts were sold to benefit the fire company. The crowd in 1937 was estimated at 25,000. The increased revenue from the carnivals and auctions enabled the fire company to modernize its equipment and facilities, and in 1947 it began to build its own herd by purchasing ponies from local owners. They moved the herd to Assateague where the government allowed publicly owned, not private, herds to graze on the newly established Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.

That same year, 1947, Marguerite Henry published "Misty of Chincoteague," the story that made Pony Penning internationally famous.

Pony Penning is still held in July during the Chincoteague Volunteer Firemen's Carnival. "Salt Water Cowboys" herd the horses across the narrowest part of Assateague Channel at low tide, after which they are examined by veterinarians. After a resting period, they are herded through town to a corral at the Carnival Grounds where they stay until the next day's auction. The Pony Auction not only provides a source of revenue for the fire company, but it also serves to trim the herd's numbers. To retain the permit to graze on the refuge, the herd must not exceed 150 horses.

----------------------------------------So many of my trackables have been muggled that I only release new GCs as virtuals. If you do not approve, please leave it in the cache for a cacher who understands. Thanks. BL.