All Medals

The medal's obverse bears two giant LNG tankers on the ocean.

The reverse bears islands of Japan and Indonesia with labeled routes of tanker ships.  Around, ENERGY TRANSPORTATION CORPORATION / AMERICAN LEGION MERCHANT MARINE AWARD; ship names LNG AQUARIUS, LNG ARIES, LNG CAPRICORN, LNG GEMINI, LNG LEO, LNG LIBRA, LNG TAURUS, LNG VIRGO; dated at bottom, 1985

The antecedent to the modern ETG companies was Marine Transport Lines, then the world's fifth largest shipping company, sold in order to form the first of the modern ETG Companies, Energy Transportation Group, Inc., in 1972. ETG financed, constructed and operated a US$1 billion fleet of eight 125kcm LNG ships which at its peak moved annually over 15% of all LNG produced in the world. ETG shipping companies pioneered modern ship and port safety techniques, operating procedures, certifications and insurance concepts for LNG shipping still used today.

During its 25-year Indonesia-to-Japan trades, ETG ships safely delivered over 3,000 cargoes without any cargo loss. This record represented the most LNG shipped worldwide by a single fleet.

The circular medal measures 76.5mm and was struck in a base metal. No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Tadeusz Kosciuszko facing right. Around, TADEUSZ - KOSCIUSZKO; signed and dated at left shoulder, S+KO / N.Y. 26

The reverse bears Polish eagle over crossed halberds in wreath of grain and oak. Around, "HE WAS AS PURE A SON OF LIBERTY AS I HAVE EVER KNOWN AND OF THAT LIBERTY WHICH IS TO GO TO ALL, / AND NOT TO THE FEW OR / TO THE RICH ALONE / (TH JEFFERSON); in four sectors created by crossed halberds, POLAND / RACŁAWICE; AMERICA / SARATOGA; MACIEJOWICE / POLAND; AMERICA / WEST POINT; at bottom of wreath, 1746 1946 / BICENTENARY OF BIRTH; signed at grips of halberds, J.S. and S+KO

Kościuszko (Andrew Thaddeus Bonaventure Kosciuszko; 1746 –1817) was a Polish-Lithuanian military engineer, statesman, and military leader who became a national hero in Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and the United States.

He fought in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth's struggles against Russia and Prussia, and on the American side in the American Revolutionary War. As Supreme Commander of the Polish National Armed Forces, he led the 1794 Kościuszko Uprising.

In 1776, Kościuszko moved to North America, where he took part in the American Revolutionary War as a colonel in the Continental Army. An accomplished military architect, he designed and oversaw the construction of state-of-the-art fortifications, including those at West Point, New York. In 1783, in recognition of his services, the Continental Congress promoted him to brigadier general.

The medal's obverse is based on an earlier 1926 portrait done by the artist and is dated accordingly. If I interpret the J.S. on the reverse correctly, Ostrowsky might have ccoperated with another sculptor on that part of the medal, maybe with J. R. Sinnock, who signed another medal with a J.S. monogram in 1946.

The circular medal measures 63.3mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1946-012

The uniface plaquette bears view of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower before dramtic clouds and sun rays. At upper right, (MLICO logo) / CONVENTION / 1941; signed at bottom right, CHAMBELLAN / SC

The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company was founded in 1893 by a group of New York City businessmen who raised $100,000 to found the National Union Life and Limb Insurance Company. The company insured Civil War sailors and soldiers against disabilities. On March 24, 1868, it became known as Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and shifted its focus to the life insurance business.

In 1915 the company completed the process of changing from a public stock company to a mutual company but in 2000 it went public again. During much of the 20th century, MetLife, as it is colloquially called, insured a significant percentage of American families.

The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower, colloquially known as the Met Life Tower, is a Manhattan landmark, built from 1907 to 1909 and located on Madison Avenue near the intersection with East 23rd Street, across from Madison Square Park. Designed by the architectural firm of Napoleon LeBrun & Sons and built by the Hedden Construction Company, the tower is modeled after the Campanile in Venice, Italy. Today, the tower houses the New York Edition Hotel, a 273-room luxury hotel that opened in 2015.

My plaquette came embedded in the lid of a handsome little wooden box, sometimes described as a "cigarette box," that was probably the give-away at the convention. I have not attempted to separate the plaquette from the box, which means I cannot weigh it or document the edge markings. If you have a loose plaquette, I'd appreciate if you could send me the missing information.

You might have noticed that the plaquette bears 1941 in its legend whereas I date it to 1940. I am merely following Dick Johnson's reference which favors the date indicated by the Medallic Art Company's numbering scheme.

The rectangular plaquette measures 93mm x 134mm and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1940-058-001

The medal's obverse bears bust of Washington, facing right. Around, (star) GEORGE WASHINGTON. (star) / BORN FEB. 22 1732. (star) DIED DEC. 14 1799.; signed under truncation, Paquet. F.

The reverse bears sculpture bust of Washington on top of medal cabinet, surrounded by banister. Around, (star) WASHINGTON CABINET OF MEDALS, U.S. MINT. (star) / INAUGURATED FEB. 22 1860.

On February 22, 1860, the Washington Cabinet of Medals was formally inaugurated at the United States Mint in Philadelphia. This culminated over a decade of collecting medallic remembrances of our first president by mint officials and others. Julian reports that James Ross Snowdon might have had this and an earlier medal struck solely to add his own contribution to the Mint's growing collection of Washingtonia.

The medal measures 59.7mm in diameter and was struck by the U.S. Mint. No mintage is reported.

References:   Marqusee 312

The medal's obverse bears the original Federal Hall over the seal of the City of New York. Around top, NEW YORK CITY; around bottom, FIRST CAPITAL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; under Fderal Hall, WASHINGTON'S INAUGURATION / FEDERAL HALL - 1789

The reverse bears five revolutionary soldiers with cannon and flag; ANS seal below; around, thirteen stars representing the original states. Around, BICENTENNIAL / 1776 / 1976 / AMERICAN REVOLUTION; signed below cannon, JOHN RUSSELL / RIDGE

This medal was the 52nd official issue of the American Numismatic Society in 1976.

As with the New York State Bicentennial Medal, the American Numismatic Society's influence ended with the design competition in 1972.  The medal was produced in six variant, five of which were struck by the Medallic Art Company of Danbury, Connecticut, and the silver proof medal struck by the Franklin Mint.  No mintages are reported for any of the variants.

References:   ANS 52

References:   MACo 1961-019

The obverse bears portrait of Edward, Prince of Wales, in uniform, facing right. Around, EDWARD PRINCE OF WALES; at bottom right, heraldic badge over circled (JF monogram).

The reverse displays allegorical female figure flanked by two vertical oak branches. To left of figure, COMMEMORATING / THE VISIT OF / HRH THE PRINCE / OF WALES / TO THE / UNITED STATES / NOVEMBER / MCMXIX / A N S (with oak leaves).

This was the 41st medal overall and the fourth medal issued by the American Numismatic Society (ANS) in 1919, a very productive year for the Society as far as medals were concerned. J. Sanford Saltus, the great benefactor of American Medallic Art, provided not only funds covering the costs of design and die creation, but also enough money to strike one copy in gold. That copy was presented to the Prince of Wales during a ceremony on board the battleship Renown. In addition to ANS members, the privilege of subscribing to the medal was extended to the Pilgrims of the United States.

The medal measures 63.3mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 1 piece in gold, 145 in silver, 227 in bronze, and 1 in brass (made for the British Museum).

References:   ANS 41, Baxter 160, MACo 1919-009, Marqusee 156

References:   BG 41