2001 LORETTO CHAPEL “MIRACULOUS STAIRCASE” BRASS SOUVENIR TOKEN — SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

A beautifully preserved commemorative token issued for one of the most unusual and enduring architectural legends of the American Southwest: the Miraculous Staircase of Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

A matching cataloged example identifies this issue as a 2001 Loretto Chapel brass souvenir token, produced without monetary denomination. It belongs to the collecting field known as exonumia—tokens, medals and other coin-like pieces issued outside conventional government currency.

OBVERSE:

Features a detailed architectural rendering of Loretto Chapel, with the inscription:

LORETTO CHAPEL • SANTA FE, NM

REVERSE:

Features the chapel’s celebrated double-turn spiral staircase with the trademarked title:

MIRACULOUS STAIRCASE™

and inscriptions recalling the traditional Loretto story:

“33 Steps — One for each year Jesus was on Earth”

and

“Built by Unknown Carpenter in Answer to the Sisters’ Prayers to Saint Joseph.”

The subject refers to the remarkable wooden staircase constructed for the Sisters of Loretto after completion of their Gothic Revival chapel in the late 19th century. According to the tradition preserved by the Chapel, the Sisters prayed a nine-day novena to St. Joseph, patron saint of carpenters, after builders could devise no satisfactory stairway to the elevated choir loft. A mysterious carpenter reportedly appeared on the final day, completed the extraordinary spiral stair with simple tools, and disappeared without receiving payment.

The staircase itself unquestionably exists and remains an extraordinary work of historic carpentry: it makes two complete 360-degree turns without a conventional center pole, and its early construction employed wooden pegs rather than ordinary metal nails. Its identity, construction and wood became intertwined with more than a century of Santa Fe legend. Modern historical research has proposed the French-born carpenter François-Jean Rochas as a likely builder, while the traditional association with St. Joseph remains an important part of the chapel’s religious heritage.

CONDITION:

Mint condition. Exceptionally clean example with bright brass surfaces, crisp raised lettering, sharp architectural detail and strong definition throughout. No significant wear, damage, corrosion or other condition issues observed. Please review all enlarged photographs, which form part of the description.

DETAILS:

2001 issue

Loretto Chapel / Miraculous Staircase

Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Brass

Non-monetary souvenir token / commemorative medal

Approx. 1.5" diameter — please verify measurement

Double-sided struck design

An excellent crossover collectible for exonumia and token collectors, Santa Fe and New Mexico collectors, Loretto Chapel visitors, Catholic and Christian memorabilia collectors, St. Joseph devotees, architectural history collectors, travel souvenir collectors, historic church collectors, and collectors of American religious folklore.