All Medals

The medal's obverse shows a Caterpillar tractor No. 77 on field or rough surface.  Around top, HISTORY OF THE TRACK-TYPE TRACTOR; at bottom, 1904 - 1905

The reverse bears calendar panel with three different tracked Caterpillar tractors to left, right and bottom. Above, 19 (CP logo) 85 / CATERPILLAR

The circular medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company.  No mintage is reported.

References:   Cal CP-1985

The medal's obverse bears a beautifully modeled barefoot female figure, seated in rough chair, facing left, holding flowers or leaves in her hands as she seems lost in thought while looking at the surrounding gardens. Around top, THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF CHICAGO

The reverse bears a wreath of chrysanthemums surrounding engraved dedication.

The circular medal measures 69.5mm in diameter. Early medals had a clear edge and it is uncertain where they were struck. Later, the contract was awarded to the Medallic Art Company and they edge-marked the medals accordingly.  They also struck the medal in at least one other metal (nickel silver).

References:   Marqusee 344-345

This medal's obverse bears a male figure with wings affixed to his outstretched arms, four different methods of manned flight in background: a hot air balloon, a dirigible, and two early-model airplanes.

The reverse bears bird in flight. Across center, PROGRESS / IN / AVIATION / CHICAGO NUMISMATIC SOCIETY / MEDALLIC SERIES / MCMX

The second art medal issued by the Chicago Numismatic Society (the precursor to the Chicago Coin Club) was dedicated to Aviation. In the early 20th century Chicago was one of the hotbeds of aviation engineering. Thus it came as no big surprise that it was decided to pick Progress in Aviation as the theme for an art medal. Carl Schrieber won the competition for the design of this medal.

The circular medal measures 51mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by Whitehead & Hoag of Newark, New Jersey. The reported mintage in bronze is 200 pieces. The silver pieces were struck later, possibly by the U.S. Mint. No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears nude crouching sculptor holding mallet and chisel, seated on rocky outcropping in front of winged steed. Signed at lower right (LGF monogram)

The medal's revese bears flaming torch flanked by two small sea shells at bottom. Around top, NATIONAL SCULPTURE SOCIETY; across, SPECIAL - MEDAL / OF - HONOR

Francis Keally (1889 - 1978) was a New York architect and designer whose major works can be found in the the Public Library in Berlin, Germany, the Brooklyn Public Library, the Oregon State Capitol and the expansion of the Detroit Public Library. In addition to his architectural projects, Keally was an avid supporter of preserving the artistic works of others. He also served as president of the Municipal Art Society, as well as president of the Fine Arts Federation.

The National Sculpture Society only awards its Medal of Honor as the occasion arises.  Notable recipients include Archer Huntington, Daniel Chester French, Joseph Veach Noble, Elliot Offner, Neil Estern, Stanley Bleifeld and James J. Jennewein.  You are certainly in good company if you have received this medal.

The medal measures 101mm in diameter and was struck in gilt bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

Many thanks to Rhode Island Internet Consignment & Antiques for granting me the right to use the images from their auction.

References:   MACo 1929-019

The medal's obverse bears Liberty walking alongside a Buffalo. Around top, PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION; in exergue, field for dedication.

The medal's reverse bears South-American and North-American Native Americans smoking peace pipe together, shields with representations of their respective continents at their feet. Above, BVFFALO / VSA MCMI

The Pan-American Exposition was a World's Fair held in Buffalo, New York from May 1st through November 2nd, 1901. The exposition is most remembered for the shooting of U.S. President William McKinley. Anarchist Leon Czolgosz shot him on September 6th while he was visiting the fair.

The medal exists in plain bronze, silver, gilted bronze, and gold variants. The silver and gold variants are very rare but no mintages have been reported. A golden piece was auctioned in 2017 by Rago Fine Arts for over $40,000. 

The medal measures 64mm in diameter and was manufactured by the Gorham Silver Company.

References:   Baxter 106, Marqusee 250

References:   MACo 1971-013-006, WR 6

The medal's obverse bears running Naphtali, facing left, a deer jumping at his heels; sun at left.  At top left, NAPHTALI; signed and dated in exergue, © E. WEISTROP 1970

The reverse bears Star of David, symbols and names from all twelve medals. In center, THE / TWELVE / TRIBES OF / ISRAEL

Naphtali was Jacob's sixth son, the second he had with Bilah. It was Jacob's blessing that in Naphtali's land all fruits would ripen quickly and they would be brought as presents to kings and gain royal favor. Naphtali was swift as a deer to do the will of God and was a messenger for his father and the tribes. As the quote runs:

"Lo, here cometh Naphtali, the lovable, who proclaimeth peace."

This is the sixth medal in Elizabeth Weistrop's Twelve Tribes of Israel series. The circular medal measures 43mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintages are reported.

References:   MACo 1969-100-007, TToI 6

The obverse bears hand with flame bracelet holding infant and moon before swirling clouds and lighning. Divided by hand, FIAT - VITA; signed at bottom with large circled © and FRANCISCI ··· around.

The reverse bears streams of plasma, stars, and lightning around cloudy center, suggesting the creation of the cosmos.

De Francisci picked Creation as the theme for this medal and succeeded in creating a beautiful medal that combines both the religious and the scientific approaches in one model. The obverse shows the hand of the creator, on which rests a bold infant, secure in its place in the center of the universe. On the reverse we have a more scientific image of swirling gas clouds, hinting at cosmological processes of creation.

As de Francisci put it in his "Sculptor's Message," which focused on the scientific explanation:

"The advent of life, either in its rudimentary or complex organism, is based on the hypothesis that life could evolve and endure on all planets receiving heat and light from a central orb."

The scalloped edge incorporated the medal as a whole into the design and made it even more special.

This medal was chosen as the twelfth issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1935. Struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York, the medal measures 72mm in diameter and has a reported production quantity of 1,165 in silver-plated bronze and 100 in silver. This medal was re-issued in silver in 1993 as part of a promotion. The mintage of that re-issue is not known.

References:   MACo 1930-001-012, Marqusee 160, SoM 12

The obverse bears a Morgan horse in profile, facing left. Around, THE MORGAN HORSE CLVB; signed at left next to horse's chest, LAVRA GARDIN / FRASER 1923 / ©

The reverse bears mare with young colt facing right. Above, VERMONT; signed at bottom left, (LGF monogram) / 1923 / ©

The edge is marked MEDALLIC ART CO NY

The Morgan horse is one of the earliest horse breeds developed in the United States. Its foundation sire was named Figure, later Justin Morgan after his best-known owner. Morgans were used as coach horses, harness racing, general riding animals, and as cavalry horses during the Civil War.

This medal measures 75mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   Baxter 358, MACo 1923-017, Marqusee 173

The medal's obverse bears deep relief portrait of Townsend Harris, facing slight right. Around top, TOWNSEND HARRIS MEDAL; signed and dated at lower left, d'A / 1933

The reverse bears legend only. Around, THE ASSOCIATE ALUMNI OF THE COLLEGE OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK; across, FOR / NOTABLE / ACHIEVEMENT / LOUIS KAUFMAN ANSPACHER / '97

Townsend Harris (1804 –1878) was a successful New York City merchant and minor politician, and the first United States Consul General to Japan. He negotiated the "Harris Treaty" between the US and Japan and is credited as the diplomat who first opened the Empire of Japan to foreign trade and culture in the Edo period.

The circular medal measures 75.3mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1933-008