Amerigo Vespucci

The obverse bears half figure of Vespucci, half right, head right, holding a partially unrolled map ; to the right is a map of the New World, taken from the then recently discovered map of Martin Waldseemüller. Between bust and map at lower right, 19 (ANS seal) 03 / AMERIGO VESPVCCI; signed along lower right, V.D.Brenner.

The reverse bears a small hemispherical map inserted in the famous Waldseemüller wall map of 1507 on the left side; on the right Vespucci is holding dividers above facsimile signature of Waldseemüller. Signed in lower left of field, V.D.Brenner

Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) was an Italian explorer, financier, navigator and cartographer who first demonstrated that Brazil and the West Indies did not represent Asia's eastern outskirts as initially conjectured from Columbus' voyages, but instead constituted an entirely separate landmass hitherto unknown to people of the Old World.

This is the 15th medal issued by the American Numismatic Society. The rectangular plaque measures 76mm x 58mm. The reported mintage for this medal is 1 piece in gold, 101 in silver, 59 in bronze and 1 in copper.