Title
Help Login Artist Initials
Purpose

This page is intended to provide you with quick links to pages that organize medals by certain criteria, for example by the people that are shown on them or the organizations that issued them. Bold entries lead to sub-indices that help organize the index into a more useful hierarchy; Italicized entries represent aliases for other index entries.

Keyboard Navigation

As on all pages you can use SPACE to scroll down and Shift-SPACE to scroll up. Up and down arrows also work. In addition, you can use a single letter to scroll to the glossary section of terms starting with that letter.

Home Artists Series & Collections Glossary & Index Contact

pioneers

MedalsVisual
Hampden County Memorial Bridge Medal
1922
by Allan George Newman
Pin It...Create Flipcard...Contact Me...
Description

The medal's obverse bears view ov bridge with Springfield city buildings in background. At bottom, AUGUST 3 1922; signed atlower right, NEWMAN

The reverse bears laurel wreath. In center field, FROM THE / PIONEERS DOWN / THROUGH THE / WORLD WAR / LOVE OF FREEDOM / LINKED THE / GENERATIONS; around, HAMPDEN COUNTY MEMORIAL BRIDGE

In 1915, the Hampden County Commissioners opened hearings to discuss construction of a new bridge, but it wasn't until the winter of 1918/19 that the location and overall design of the present concrete arch bridge were finally agreed upon. The completed bridge was opened to traffic on August 3, 1922. At the ceremonies held that day, the bridge was dedicated as a memorial to "those who had died as pioneers, and soldiers in the Revolutionary, Civil and Foreign Wars."

The circular medal was struck by the Whitehead & Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey. No mintage is reported.

 

Medal Details

This section contains a table of detailed medal information. Currently, I am not aware of any variants of this medal. Please notify me if you come across any or if you find incorrect or missing information.

materialBronze
edge6
mintageunknown
Last modified: Oct 26, 2017 16:21
Pony Express - New Frontiers
1952
by James Earle Fraser
Pin It...Create Flipcard...Contact Me...
Golden bronze with light tan patina
Description

The medal's obverse bears rider galloping to right, facing back with pistol held straight out. To left, PONY EXPRESS; to right, TEN DAYS TO / SAN FRANCISCO

The reverse bears settlers with Conestoga wagon drawn by oxen, mountain and sun in background. Below, NEW FRONTIERS / 18 (cattle skull) 49 / © JAMES EARLE FRASER SC

The medal's reverse is very familiar to coin collectors who know the motif from the Oregon Trail half dollar. Fraser was a traditionalist who wrote in the brochure that accompanied the medal:

"... wherever possible we should use the lore of our people. With this thought in mind I selected two of the most romantic, hazardous and important subjects of our pioneer days, the Prairie Schooner and the Pony Express."

This medal was chosen as the 45th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1952.

The circular medals measure 73mm in diameter and were struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company. The reported mintage is 964 pieces in bronze.  There are two versions of the silver medal.  The first is the from the 1970's edition that was limited to 700 pieces with no mintage reported. The second is a telemarketing reissue from 1993 with an estimated mintage of 300 pieces.

References:   MACo 1930-001-45, SoM 45

Variant Details

This section contains a table of detailed variant information. Currently, I am only aware of 3 variants of this medal. Please notify me if you come across any others or if you find incorrect or missing information.

materialBronze
patinaGolden bronze with light tan patina
edge6MEDALLIC ART CO. N.Y. BRONZE
edge12THE SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS 45TH ISSUE 1952-JAMES E. FRASER, SCULPTOR
diameter73mm
mintage964 reported
materialSilver
edge6SPECIAL EDITION - SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS (C) 1993 FINE SILVER - MEDALLIC ART COMPANY
edge12THE SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS 45TH ISSUE 1952-JAMES E. FRASER, SCULPTOR
diameter73mm
mintageca. 300 reported
materialSilver
edge6
edge12THE SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS 45TH ISSUE 1952-JAMES E. FRASER, SCULPTOR
diameter73mm
mintageunknown, 700 authorized
Last modified: Jan 7, 2018 20:49
Copyright © 2014 - 2025 by medallicartcollector.com, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.