Eastern State Penitentiary Gargoyle Type III – 1 Troy Ounce Silver Round
Explore the Gargoyles of the World collection
LOCATION: EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary provides a dramatic setting for “Frank,” the creature featured on this Type III round. Intaglio Mint brings his watchful presence into the Gargoyles of the World collection, pairing fantastic sculpture with the atmosphere of one of America’s most distinctive historic prisons.
A Fortress with a Different Plan Inside
Eastern State received its first prisoner in 1829. Architect John Haviland designed an imposing Gothic exterior intended to intimidate, while the interior followed a radial plan: cellblocks extended from a central hub like spokes from a wheel. The contrast between fortress-like walls and carefully organized corridors was central to the building’s identity.
The prison’s original system emphasized separation and solitary reflection. It attracted international attention, including a visit from Charles Dickens in 1842, who strongly criticized its isolation practices. Eastern State formally abandoned that system in 1913, although overcrowding had already changed daily life there.
Frank’s image belongs to the site’s wider visual identity; this design does not imply that the creature was part of Haviland’s original construction. Against the masonry texture on the round, the figure offers a fitting subject for collectors interested in Gothic imagery, architectural character, and Philadelphia history.
Obverse Design
The obverse depicts Frank, the gargoyle associated with Eastern State Penitentiary. Distressed, textured masonry fills the background, and “EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY” follows the upper circumference, identifying the location that inspired this issue.
Reverse Design
Gothic window frames surround “GARGOYLES OF THE WORLD” on the shared collection reverse. A small gargoyle perches on the “O” in “GARGOYLES,” and the hallmark sits along the lower circumference at six o’clock.
Specifications
- Weight: 1.00 troy ounce
- Thickness: 3.10 mm
- Purity: .999 fine silver
- Edge: Reeded
- Diameter: 39 mm
- Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated
