All Medals

References:   CoF 8, Marqusee 293

The obverse bears bust of Lincoln, r. (no button holes on lapel). Around, SALVATOR / PATRIAE.

The reverse bears wreath around circumference; ribbon running through wreath with inscription PUB. BY THE / AMERICAN / NUMISMATIC / AND / ARCHAEOLOGICAL / SOCIETY / NEW YORK 1866. In center field, IN / MEMORY / OF THE / LIFE ACTS AND DEATH / OF / ABRAHAM LINCOLN / BORN FEBRUARY 12. 1809. / DIED APRIL 15. 1865.

This medal was produced by J.S. and A.B. Wyons of London.  The American Numismatic Society authorized Wyons to produce sets of reduced size medals in a variety of materials and purchased 25 sets for resale to its members. These medals were not officially issued by the ANS but they are authorized reductions of the official medal.

The following sizes and materials are known to exist: 35mm, 16mm, and 7mm in bronze, silver and white metal. While no mintages are reported, all of the variants are rare.

References:   ANS 1R

The obverse bears bust of Lincoln, r. (no button holes on lapel). Around, SALVATOR / PATRIAE.; signed below truncation, EMIL SIGEL FECIT.

The reverse bears wreath around circumference; ribbon running through wreath with inscription PUB. BY THE / AMERICAN / NUMISMATIC / AND / ARCHAEOLOGICAL / SOCIETY / NEW YORK 1866. In center field, IN / MEMORY / OF THE / LIFE ACTS AND DEATH / OF / ABRAHAM LINCOLN / BORN FEBRUARY 12. 1809. / DIED APRIL 15. 1865.

This medal, the first one to be officially issued by the ANS, almost proved financially calamitous to the young organization. The dies gave out quickly and Sigel had to create a second set. The Society put a $720 lien on the set of dies until the additional costs were completely repaid.

The circular medal measures 83mm in diameter. Mintage numbers are uncertain but believed to be between 100 and 125 pieces in bronze and 30 in white metal (tin).

J.S. and A.B. Wyon of London were authorized to strike reductions of the medal in different sizes and metals. Variants that are known to exist include bronze pieces, silver and white metal pieces in sizes of 35mm, 16mm and 7mm. All of these are rare. These medals were not issued by the ANS, though the Society purchased 25 sets for sale to its members.

References:   ANS 1, Marqusee 353

The uniface medal bears kneeling hunter, facing right, in pose of arrow just released Between hunter's face and bow, SAGI- / TTARIUS; at lower left, in tiny letters, © MACO / 1967

Chambellan's Zodiac medals were issued more than a decade after his death and are probably based on designs he made in the early 1930s when he was working on the RKO Roxy Theater.  The 1960s saw renewed interest in astrology and the signs of the zodiac arising in part from the counter-cultural hippie movement and its subsequent adoption into mainstream culture.

Sagittarius is the ninth astrological sign, which is associated with the constellation Sagittarius and spans 240–270th degrees of the zodiac. Under the tropical zodiac, the sun transits this sign between approximately November 23 and December 21. Greek mythology associates Sagittarius with the centaur Chiron, who mentored Achilles in archery.

Along with Aries and Leo, Sagittarius is a part of the Fire Trigon. Its ruling planet is Jupiter.

The circular medal measures 69.7mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1967-151-012

This medal's obverse depicts Truth guiding Apollo's chariot. At top, LVX ET / VERITAS; signed at bottom, B L PRATT

The reverse bears five lines of inscription flanked by burning torches, VNIVERSITAS YALENSIS / A D MDCCCCI / CONCELEBRAT / COLLEGIVM YALENSE / A D MDCCI CONDITVM

The edge is hallmarked TIFFANY & CO

Bela Lyon Pratt was himself a graduate of Yale and was commissioned in 1899 by Professors Weir and Niemeyer to design this medal for the upcoming 200th anniversary of Yale College. The medal was struck in silver and bronze. One of the silver medals was given to President Theodore Roosevelt and one of the bronze medals was taken into space by Astronaut Joseph B. Allen.

This is a beautiful medal with a very appropriate design for one of great universities of the world.

The circular medal measures 70mm in diameter and was produced by Tiffany & Company of New York. It was struck in bronze and silver in unknown mintages.

References:   Baxter 217, Marqusee 325

The uniface medallion's obverse bears muscular, bare-armed and gloved worker, facing right, removing a tire from an open mold. From number at left, text running around upper edge, 25 - YEAR OF FRIENDLY SERVICE; in exergue, (GOODYEAR logo) / THE GREATEST NAME / IN RUBBER; signed to right of mold, (RC monogram)

This is the 25 year version of Rene Chambellan's Goodyear series of medallions. All of these medallions came mounted to a wooden board to be hung in offices or shops that were selling Goodyear product. The mounting is done via a drilled, threaded pin that is affixed to the center of the medallion.

This medallion has Chambellan going back to one of his fortés: the depiction of industrial workers at their places of work.  Few American medallic sculptors did that as well as Chambellan.

Dick Johnson's reference does not list the set number for this medallion, so I follow his practice and list it with an x for unknown.

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

At least my examplar of this medallion is silver-plated.  Whether that was done by the Medallic Art Company or whether the recipient performed an "upgrade" on the medallion is unknown.  For now, I list the one known variant as made of bronze until I receive more feedback from other collectors.

References:   MACo 1948-041-x

References:   Marqusee 331

The medal's obverse bears farmer and industrial worker flanking Columbia and shield with legend ACTIVELY / ASSISTING / AGRICULTURE / AND / INDUSTRY. Around, WESTERN WASHINGTON FAIR ASSOCIATION / · PUYALLUP ·

The reverse bears horse and cow around rectangular award panel. Above panel, AWARDED TO;

The Washington State Fair started as a small local enterprise in the town of Puyallup in 1900.  From these very humble beginnings it grew into a large state fair that is still operating today.

The medal measures 50.9mm in diameter and appears to be gold-plated. Neither mintage, bor mint or artist are reported and the date is a guess based on the fair's history.  Any information would be appreciated.