Copper alloy coin with two sides, each having raised lettering and image and background coated with dark antiquing. One side has at center, "BOWMANSVILLE / SESQUI-CENTENNIAL / CELEBRATION / 1820-1970." At top is "OFFICIAL SOUVENIR COIN" and at bottom is "BRECKNOCK TOWNSHIP / LANCASTER COUNTY, PA." Opposite side has central scene of 2-story, 4-bay house with sign above door. Trees at left and right with large cloud behind. At top is "BOWMANSVILLE / Sesqui-Centennial" and at bottom is "1820 - 1970 / AUGUST 14, 15, 16, 1970."
Five identical wooden disks printed both sides, each with a different color - red, blue, green, brown or black. One side has head of Native American brave in profile with "WOODEN NICKEL" above, all within a circle. Opposite side reads: "A Souvenir of / BOWMANSVILLE / SESQUI - CENTENNIAL / August - 14 15 16 / 1820-1970 / Brecknock Township / Lancaster County, Pa."
Front depicts three buildings of the Ephrata Cloister (Almonry, Saal, and Saron) and reads "Ephrata Cloister" beneath image. Plate has a floral design along its rim.
Back reads "Historic Pennsylvania / Ephrata Cloister / This Protestant Monastic Community was / founded by Conrad Beissel in 1732. Comprising / the spiritual colonial community were a / brotherhood, a sisterhood, and householders. / The religious excelled in calligraphic art, / music, and printing-of books and broadsides. / During the Revolutionary War they cared for / hundreds of wounded soldiers from the / battle of Brandywine in 1777. / / Three of the original buildings still standing / are shown - Almonry (alms and bakehouse) / SAAL (Meeting house) and Saron (Sister's house)"
Green floral rim features several Mount Joy buildings (in order, clockwise from bottom left: "Old Fire House," "Red Lion Hotel," "first industry - 1829," "Cedar Hill Female Seminary- 1839, " "Old Post Office." Bottom of rim reads, "A Voyage through the century." Center reads "Mount Joy Centennial / May 26 - May 30 / 1851 - 1951 / Good Ship Mount Joy" around an image of a many-sailed ship crossing an ocean.
Back readsThis plate commemorates the incorporation / of the borough of Mount Joy in 1851. It is re- / produced on the 100th anniversary in 1951. / Prior to 1851, six small villages were in / existence, Mountjoy (Rohrerstown), Richland, / Mountjoy Continued (Wallickstown), Mountjoy Extended, Richland and Mountjoy Connected, and Richland Extension, / The name of Mount Joy was the name of a seventeenth century Irish Ship."
