Bela Lyon Pratt

References:   Baxter 216

This medal's obverse depicts Truth guiding Apollo's chariot. At top, LVX ET / VERITAS; signed at bottom, B L PRATT

The reverse bears five lines of inscription flanked by burning torches, VNIVERSITAS YALENSIS / A D MDCCCCI / CONCELEBRAT / COLLEGIVM YALENSE / A D MDCCI CONDITVM

The edge is hallmarked TIFFANY & CO

Bela Lyon Pratt was himself a graduate of Yale and was commissioned in 1899 by Professors Weir and Niemeyer to design this medal for the upcoming 200th anniversary of Yale College. The medal was struck in silver and bronze. One of the silver medals was given to President Theodore Roosevelt and one of the bronze medals was taken into space by Astronaut Joseph B. Allen.

This is a beautiful medal with a very appropriate design for one of great universities of the world.

The circular medal measures 70mm in diameter and was produced by Tiffany & Company of New York. It was struck in bronze and silver in unknown mintages.

References:   Baxter 217, Marqusee 325

The medal's obverse bears portrait of bearded Longfellow, slight left, surrounded by massive wreath. To left and right, 1807 - 1907; signed at bottom over wreath, B.L.PRATT

The reverse bears legend in center field surrounded by massive wreath, HENRY / WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW / - POET - / BORN IN PORTLAND MAINE / FEBRUARY 27 - 1807 / DIED IN CAMBRIDGE / MASSACHUSETTS / MARCH 24 - 1882; signed above wreath, B.L.PRATT 1907

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) was an American poet and educator whose works include Paul Revere's Ride, The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline. He was also the first American to translate Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, and was one of the five Fireside Poets from New England.

The circular medal measures 63.5mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

References:   Baxter 218

This was the 25th official medal issued by the American Numismatic Society.

The obverse bears nude female seated, holding a mirror but turning face away from it. To left, in four lines, 1909; to right, THE / NEW / THEATRE / OF / NEW / YORK / (ANS logo)

The reverse bears a full length female figure standing, holding a tablet from which is suspended a garland. A crtain at each side is drawn back by a nude child; two Roman lamps below. Incuse at bottom, 1909.

Edge is numbered.

This medal was issued by the American Numismatic Society (ANS) to commemorate the opening of the New Theatre in New York. The New Theatre, located at 62nd Street and Central Park West opened on November 6, 1909. It was noted for its fine architecture but due to poor acoustics and an inconvenient location it was financially unsuccessful. The theater was ultimately demolished in 1931.

Although the medal is dated 1909, it was not actually made available to members until 1916. Barbara Baxter comments that

"... the medal commemorating the opening of the New Theatre in York, with its highly decorative figural compositions and sinuous lines, perfectly captures the spirit of the Gilded Age."

The medal comes in two sizes, one measuring 77mm in diameter, the other 106mm. It was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 50 pieces in bronze for the larger size, at least 1 in gold, 50 in silver and 50 in bronze for the smaller size.

References:   ANS 25, Baxter 220, MACo 1909-003, Marqusee 323

This plaquette bears portrait of Smith facing right; ivy ranks framing window behind him. At top, VERITAS; below window frame, BOSTON / 1915; at bottom THEOBALD SMITH

Theobald Smith (1859-1934) was a pioneering epidemiologist and pathologist and is widely considered to be America's first internationally significant medical research scientist. In 1895 Smith moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts to accept a dual appointment: serve as professor of comparative pathology at Harvard University, and direct the pathology lab at the Massachusetts State Board of Health. Smith joined the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research as Director of the Department of Animal Pathology in 1915 and remained there until his retirement in 1929.

This plaquette was commissioned by Harvard University to commemorate Smith's departure after 20 years as a professor. 

My copy comes framed and I did not have the heart to take the assembly appart to take a stand-alone picture. If someone has a good picture to share, I would appreciate it.

The plaquette measures 51mm x 73mm and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1915-015, Marqusee 324