The Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia

This medal goes back to the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia, a predecessor of the American Numismatic Society.

The obverse bears bust of Joseph Mickley r. Above and below, PER SAECULUM / MORES INSTITUUNTUR; to left, JOSEPH / J MICKLEY / 1799 - 1878; to right, THE FIRST / PRESEIDENT / 1858 - 1867

The reverse bears owl on heraldic shield. Around, THE NUMISMATIC AND ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA; on left, VESTIGIA / RERUM / SEQ / UI (rosette); on right, M D / C C C / LVIII

The medal was issued at the time of Mickley's death in 1878, commemorating his tenure as the first President ' of the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia from 1858 to 1867.

Mickley, who began his numismatic interest in 1817 when he sought to find an elusive cent of the year of his birth, 1799, was America's best known private numismatist in the middle of the 19th century.

The Society reflected on the medal, now the American Numismatic Society, was well known and numbered among its members John Ross Snowden, who at one time was the Director of the Philadelphia Mint.

The medal measures 64.5mm in diameter and was struck by the A. C. Frank Co. of Philadelphia. The mintage is not reported.

This uniface medal's obverse bears bust of Brinton, left. Around top, (flower) DANIEL · GARRISON · BRINTON (flower); on left and right of bust, M·D·C· - C·C· / XCV - III·; signed at lower left, PARIS / (decoration) / (indecipherable) FLANAGAN

Daniel Garrison Brinton (1837-1899) was a doctor, archaeologist, and ethnologist. He studied at Yale, Jefferson Medical College, Heidelberg and Paris and served as a surgeon in the Union army dring the Civil War. He suffered a severe sun-stroke from which he never totally recovered during the Third Battle of Chattanooga. Among the many society's he belonged to was the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia, which commissioned this medal.

Ideologically he was a complicated man. Like many educated people of his time he advocated theories of scientific racism. Later in life he became an anarchist and outspoken critic of the society he lived in.

The medal is most commonly known to have a reverse that bears the Society's seal. As a two-sided medal it is part of the Marqusee collection and referenced under Marqusee 142. This uniface variant might be an artist's proof.

The circular medal measures 64mm in diameter and was struck in bronze.