All Medals

This uniface medal bears portraits of George Washington and Gerald Ford; Liberty bell above, fasces below. Around, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / BI-CENTENNIAL; across, G. WASHINGTON - GERALD FORD / 1776 - 1976; signed under truncation of Washington bust, A. KOLB

The circular medal measures 50mm and was struck in bronze, probably by the Metalarts Company of Rochester, New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   ANS 19

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 1984-115, Cal MA-1983-2

The obverse bears nude Columbia seated on winged car, holding palm frond in outstretched left and resting right on cornucopia; on left, rising sun over clouds; on right, clouds. At left above sun, 1892; signed at right with artist's letter V.

The reverse bears dedication: TO / Thies J. Lefens / ONE OF THE DIRECTORS / OF THE WORLD'S / COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION / FROM ITS PRESIDENT / HARLOW N. HIGINBOTHAM / CHICAGO / 1893

Thies Jacob Lefens (1846-1913) was a Chicago-based real estate dealer and businessman. He was born in Hamburg and emigrated to the U.S. in 1863. After working in the produce commission business he joined the Conrad Seipp brewing company, where he eventually became secretary and treasurer.  He married into the Seipp family and entered the real estate business.

This medal exists in several variations and materials.  Vedder's design on the obvese is combined with different dedications to honor designers, architects, managers, and other high-ranking dignitaries of the Columbian Exposition.  All variations are quite rare.

The circular medal measures 64mm in diameter and was struck in silver. No mintage is reported.

Images courtesy of Stack's Bowers Galleries, www.StacksBowers.com.

The medallion's obverse bears bust of Charles Doolittle Walcott facing right. To left and right, CHARLES - DOOLITTLE / WALCOTT; around bottom, PRECAMBRIAN RESEARCH MEDAL; signed under truncation, LAVRA GARDIN FRASER SCVLPTOR

The reverse bears the picture of a trilobite. On lower half, NATIONAL - ACADEMY / OF / SCIENCES

Charles Doolittle Walcott (1850 - 1927) was a paleontologist, early member of the U.S. Geological Survey, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute and President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The medal, designed in 1931 but first awarded in 1934, is awarded every five years by the National Academy of Sciences for outstanding work in the field of pre-Cambrian and Cambrian life and history. Since 2008, the Walcott Medal and the Stanley Miller Medal are presented alternately, collectively known as the NAS Award in Early Earth and Life Sciences.

The medallion measures 102mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage has been reported.

Many thanks to a collector who wishes to remain anonymous for the images of this beautiful medal.

References:   MACo 1931-006

The obverse bears a sower scattering seeds under a stylized sun. Above, WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH; in exergue, LAWRIE / ©

The reverse bears a sickle poised over a wheat ear and a nettle. Across, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP

Lee Lawrie was fascinated by the sower and reused this motif time and again in many projects. Originally conceived for the Nebraska State Capital, where it adorns the dome in the form of a giant statue, he also used it on the Rockefeller Center in New York. In the artist's own words:

"All of us are sowers, and we should not expect life to yield much in return for little, or little for nothing, or anything at all for the mere wishing - either in a material or in a higher, abstract way."

This medal was chosen as the fifth issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1932. It measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported production quantity is 1,617 pieces in bronze and 35 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-005, Marqusee 241, SoM 5

References:   HSoNY 1918

The plaquette's obverse bears bust of Edison facing right. On right side, EDISON; signed with Sinnock's monogram J © R / S

The reverse bears the legend LIGHT'S / GOLDEN JUBILEE / 1879 - 1929 / AN ART MEDAL / MADE BY / MEDALLIC ART COMPANY / NEW YORK

Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) was of course the serial inventor and businessman who is generally credited with inventing the electric light bulb, the phonograph, the telephone and many other important innovations in the field of electricity and power transmission.

Light's Golden Jubilee was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Edison's incandescent light bulb, held on October 21, 1929, just days before the stock market crash of 1929 that swept the United States headlong into the Great Depression. The Jubilee also served as the dedication of Henry Ford's Greenfield Village, originally known as the Thomas Edison Institute.

This plaquette is one of two instances on which the Medallic Art Company used the term "Art Medal" in 1929. The other is the medal commemorating J. Ramsay MacDonald's visit to the U.S.

The plaquette measures 58mm x 77mm and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1929-057