All Medals

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Robert Lincoln McNeil, facing half right. Around top, ROBERT · LINCOLN · McNEIL; signed over left shoulder, ABRAM / BELSKIE Sc.

The reverse bears aerial view of corporate buildings. Across, 50TH / 1914 - ANNIVERSARY - 1964 / McNEIL / LABORATORIES, INC.

Robert Lincoln McNeil was the son of McNeil's Drugstore founder Robert McNeil. The drugstore had been opened in 1879, when recent Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science graduate Robert McNeil purchased a retail drugstore to which the new owner added a small manufacturing laboratory and a doctors' supply business.  In 1914, the year this medal celebrates as the founding year, the two McNeils formed a partnership called the Firm of Robert McNeil. By 1925, the manufacturing business was doing so well that they discontinued the retail business entirely. In 1933, they changed the company's name to reflect this change in focus.

The company was purchased by Johnson & Johnson in 1959 but obviously continued as a somewhat independent entity for some more years, at least long enough to celebrate a 50th anniversary in 1964.

Interestingly, the issuer of this medal, I assume it was the two sons of Robert Lincoln McNeil, Robert and Henry, chose to honor Robert Lincoln (the father) rather than Robert (the grandfather), who might be regarded as the original founder. I would guess that Robert Lincoln McNeil had been the driving force behind the transformation to a manufacturing business.

The circular medal measures 63.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1964-126

References:   ANS 24, Baxter 300, Marqusee 333

References:   BG 10

The medal's obverse bears beautifully rendered Hemerocallis flower. Around, · AMERICAN HEMEROCALLIS SOCIETY ·

The reverse bears the flower on a stem bent around the right edge.

The American Hemerocallis Society, Inc. (AHS) is a non-profit organization founded in 1946. The AHS is organized exclusively for educational and scientific purposes, and especially to promote, encourage, and foster the development and improvement of the genus Hemerocallis and public interest therein. The society’s membership includes over 6,000 avid gardeners and daylily enthusiasts, including life members, youth members and international members from 25 different countries. The hemerocallis is more commonly known as the daylily,

The circular medal measures 63.5mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1960-015

This medal's obverse bears Harvard's coat of arms with VE - RI -TAS on open books surrounded by wreath. Around, ANNO · ACADEMIAE · HARVARDIANA · TRECENTESIMO · - · MDCCCCXXXVI ·

The reverse bears multiline inscription, 1636 · 1936 / OUT OF SMALL / BEGINNINGS GREAT / ER THINGS HAVE / BEEN PRODUSED BY HIS / HAND THAT MADE ALL / THINGS OF NOTHING / AND GIVES BEING / TO ALL THINGS / THAT ARE

Harvard University itself needs little introduction. Founded in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature and named after its first prominent benefactor, John Harvard, Harvard is the oldest and probably most prestigious U.S. university (though Yale University is in eternal contention for the latter.)

Harvard University celebrated the three-hundredth anniversary of the College's founding in 1936 with an elaborate Tercentenary Celebration. The festivities included exhibits, special lectures, summer school courses, and culminated with the Tercentenary Days on September 16-18, 1936. Delegates from other academic institutions and learned societies were invited for the celebration and to participate in symposia discussing their fields. This medal was given as a present to all of the delegates who attended the celebration. The inscription on the reverse is a quotation from William Bradford's History of Plimmoth Plantation.

The circular medal measures 81.9mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported. The medal was also struck in silver, attached to ribbons, and used as a badge by attendees of the Tercentenary Conference of Arts and Sciences. Smaller diameter coins were distributed as well during the conference.

References:   MACo 1936-012, Marqusee 103

The plaquette bears sword-wielding goddess of victory striding left, facing right; behind her, eagle swooping towards left edge where sun is rising. Around top, on scroll, VICTORY; at bottom, ART / WAR / RELIEF

Paul Manship was a fierce patriot and supporter of the Red Cross' humanitarian efforts in Europe. On the U.S. homefront, he was a member of auxiliary 282 of the New York Chapter of the Red Cross, also called "Art War Relief."  That group assisted the war effort by raising funds via the sale of donated art, by creating special patriotic art, and by painting landscape targets for the training of artillery personnel.

Manship's plaquette is a beautiful example of art -deco bas-relief. It usually comes mounted on a black bakelit base and can be found in original bronze or patinated green variants.  It is part of many museum collections world-wide.

The plaquette itself measures 60mm by 76mm and is made of bronze. No mintage is reported.

References:   Baxter 368

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Powell facing slight left. Over left shoulder, LEWIS F. / POWELL JR.

The reverse bears legend only. Around, ADVOCAT - PRSIDENT ACTL AND ABA - ASSOCIATE JUSTIVE SUPREME COURT; across, AMERICAN COLLEGE OF / TRIAL LAWYERS / MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE / IN ADVOCACY / NATIONAL MOOT COURT / COMPETITION; signed at bottom, E.P.

Lewis F. Powell Jr. (1907-1998) served as an Associate Justive of the Supreme Court for 15 years from 1972 to 1987. He was known as a judicial moderate and a master of compromise and consensus building.

The Moot Court Medal is awarded by the New York City Bar Association College of Trial Lawyersas an award in the National Moot Court Competition which started in 1950 and continues to today. The award is presented to Law School students for the best oral advocacy and the best brief.

The circular medal measures 89.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1973-190

The medal's obverse bears nine signatories of U.S. Consitution arrayed across center of medal, one in the process of signing; scroll with fmaous "We the People" at top, tray with writing implements at bottom. In exergue, 1787 - 1987; signed in tiny letters above exergue at right, O.J.© (G?)

The reverse bears calendar panel with 1987 at top, Constitution Hall at left, and James Madison at right; shield with three stars and stripes at bottom. Along edge at right, JAMES MADISON 1751-1836; along bottom, © MEDALCRAFT MINT, INC.

The circular medal measures 76.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medalcraft Mint of Green Bay, Wisconsin. No mintage is reported.

References:   Cal MC-1987