All Medals

References:   Cal FM-1980

This uniface medal's obverse bears male figure in work clothes, digging in the earth with a spade, facing right.

According to Smedley, the medal might have been created as an ornament on a flower box, probably reduced from a painting.

The medal measures 76.1mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. The mintage is not reported.

References:   MACo 1931-051, Marqusee 80

The medal's obverse bears Washington portrait, facing quarter-left, under eye in the sky with radiant beams of light; underneath, streamer with inscription (acorn) SUO (acorn) SE (acorn) ROE - ORE (acorn) FIRMAT (acorn); right angle and compass at center bottom. Around bottom half, HE WAS A BROTHER - OF THE MYSTIC TIE

The reverse seal of Fredericksburg lodge with masonic symbols and Washington's progress throught the masonic hierarchy. From left throught bottom, to right, NOV. 4 / 5752 / ENTERED / APPRENTICE; MAR. 3 - 5753 / FELLOW - CRAFT; AUG. 4 / 5753 / MASTER / MASON; signed at bottom, I. F. WOOD, DES. G. H. LOVETT, FEC.

The dates on the medal are numbered in the masonic calendar, which can be a bit confusing to non-masons, but we can simply subtract 4,000 from the numbers to get the "common" calendar years. Washington advanced quickly through the apprenticeship stage to emerge a master mason at the young age of 21.

The medal was designed by Isaac F. Wood and the dies were cut by George H. Lovett. It measures 51mm in diameter and was struck in bronze.  It appears to be a pretty rare medal though I am not aware of its exact mintage.

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Patrick Cardinal Hayes facing three quarters left. Around, + PATRICK · CARDINAL · HAYES + / APRIL · 30 · 1924

The medal's reverse bears the coat of arms of the diocese of New York. Around, + CONGRATULATORY · BANQUET + / CATHOLIC CLUB; signed TIFFANY & CO.

Patrick Joseph Hayes (1867-1938) was born in Manhattan as the son of poor Irish immigrants. He rose quickly through the church hierarchy and was elevated to the rank of Cardinal by pope Pius XI on March 24th, 1924.

This medal was issued as a commemorative of an April 30th dinner held by the Catholic Club of New York to celebrate the occasion.

The circular medal measures 63.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by Tiffany and Co. of New York. No mintage is reported.

The obverse bears herm-type male bust facing upward against massive stylized wings. Around, ALL - PASSES ART ALONE ENDURING STAYS TO US; in lower left field, THE BUST / OUTLASTS / THE / THRONE; in exergue, THE COIN TIBERIUS; at left, incuse, R.H.RECCHIA / ©

The reverse bears nude youth leaping with outstretched arms into starry sky; hills clouds, and rays in background. Around, TOO LOW THEY BUILD WHO - BUILD BENEATH THE STARS

This medal is one of the two war-time SOM medals that were originally struck in silver because copper was largely dedicated to war needs. Apparently, 57 50mm-diameter pieces were struck in bronze but even long-time collectors have not seen any. Some were later struck in the 1970's.

Recchia drew his own inspiration for this medal from poetry, namely Austin Dobson's "Ars Victrix' for the quotes on the obverse and Edward Young's "Night Thoughts" on the reverse. Recchia wrote in the brochure accompanying the medal:

"The bust ... shows the man's mind stretching upwards, to and beyond the flight of the wings of imagination and passing time and depicting man's dreams of seeking higher realms of inspiration."

Recchia's combined message was devoid of war-time propaganda and very humanistic at its core. Or maybe the very fact that it was so humanistic made it a very effective war-time message for an audience that was fighting for the survival of western civilization.

On a personal note, this is the medal that inspired me to become a medal collector when I first saw it on display at the Yale University Art Gallery. To this day, it remains one of my favorite art medals.

This medal was chosen as the 29th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1944. It was first produced in 50mm and was struck in silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York. OVerall, the reported production quantity of this medal is 891 small-diameter silver, 57 small-diameter bronze, 150 large-diameter bronze, and 100 large-diameter silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-029, Marqusee 329, SoM 29

This medal's obverse bears injured mine worker sitting on the ground being attended by kneeling miner wearing head lamp. Signed at upper right, B.NEBEL

The reverse bears mine safety lamp. Around top, · DEPARTMENT · OF · THE · INTERIOR · / · BVREAV OF · MINES ·; to left and right of lamp, SPRINGFIELD - ILLINOIS / U - S; at bottom, 1925 / · INTERNATIONAL · CONTEST ·

The edge is marked with MEDALLIC ART CO. N.Y.

Mine safety was a big topic in the 1920's and 30's. Both the U.S. Safety Council and the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Mines organized conferences and sponsored competitions to improve the state of the art in mining safety. Organized by the Bureau of Mines, the First Aid and Mine Rescue Meeting ran from September 8 to September 13, 1925. Eighteen of 28 mining states of the U.S. and several countries sent participants who competed for one of two Congressional Medallions awarded for the top scoring teams in First Aid and Mine Rescue. Teams from 70 mines competed in total.

This little looped medal was probably given to all participants of all meetings (1923-1961), so it should not be too rare, but I have only ever seen it once since I started collecting. The design bears a strong similarity to the obverse of Nebel's much better known Society of Medalists medal, which he designed twenty years later.

The circular looped medal measures 32.9mm in diameter (36.8mm in height with loop) and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1923-026

The uniface medal bears lion rampant, tail raised proudly, facing right within bold geometric border.  At top, LEO; in small exergue at bottom, 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.

Leo is the fifth astrological sign of the zodiac, originating from the constellation of Leo. It comes after Cancer and before Virgo. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun transits this area approximately between July 23 and August 22; The sign spans the 120th to 150th degree of celestial longitude.

Leo is a fixed sign along with Taurus, Scorpio, and Aquarius. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun transits this area on average between July 23 and August 22 each year, and under the sidereal zodiac, the Sun currently transits this area from approximately August 16 to September 15. The symbol of the lion is based on the Nemean lion, a lion with an impenetrable hide. It is a northern sign and its opposite southern sign is Aquarius

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

References:   MACo 1967-151-008

References:   Baxter 272

References:   MACo 1969-177