All Medals

The medal's obverse bears seated female figure, arm raised in appeal to standing female figure. Around, NON SCHOLAE SED VITAE; signed at bottom, H. Schuler 1914

The reverse bears open book with rose across. In central bar, PEABODY MEDAL; inscrobed and dated at top and bottom, DOROTHY HOWARD / 1925

The Latin phrase "NON SCHOLAE SED VITAE" is the short form of a phrase that first appeared in Seneca's letters. It roughly translates to "We do not learn for school, but for life."

The Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University was founded in 1857 and is the oldest conservatory in the United States.

References:   MACo 1914-003

The medal's obverse bears bust of Pocahontas facing left. Around, within beaded border, · TER-CENTENNIAL · OF · THE · SETTLEMENT · OF · JAMESTOWN · / 1607 - 1907

The reverse bears two ships under full sail. Around, within beaded border, · LANDING OF EXPEDITION UNDER CAPT.N JOHN SMITH ·  / MAY 13. 1607

The Jamestown Exposition of 1907 was held at what is now the Naval Base of Norfolk, Virginia.  It attracted 1.2 million visitors.

The circular medal measures 33.4mm in diameter and was struck in three different materials by the U.S. Mint.  The bronze variant is #346 and the gilt variant is #347 in the Hibler & Kappen reference of "So-Called Dollars."

Many thanks to the staff of the Yale University Art Gallery for their support and assistance and making the silver-plated variant of this medal available to me for research.

References:   HK 346,347

The medallion bears portrait of Thornton Floyd Turner, facing left. Around upper left, + THORNTON FLOYD TURNER +; signed at lower right, HUFF

The reverse bears the Turner family's crest.

Thornton Floyd Turner (1865-1919) was a clergyman and New York City architect. He practiced architecture from 1890 to 1900 and was a member of the New York Society of Beaux Arts Architects as well as the St. Nicholas Society of New York. After 1912, he was Rector at St. Peter's Church in Bennington, Vermont.

It is unclear to whom the "Huff" signature refers.

The circular medallion measures 99mm in diameter.  No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears art-deco eagle with spread wings holding crossed Stars and Strips and Condeferate flag in its talons; fire underneath; circled star above.  At top, FRIENDSHIP; at bottom, HONOR · SERVICE; signed under flames, JULIAN HARRIS

The reverse bears silhouette of Rich's flagship store building. Around, 1867 - COMMEMORATING / THE SEVENTYFIFTH - ANNIVERSARY / OF RICH'S INC (star) - 1942; across, A SOUTHERN INSTITUTION / MORRIS, EMANUEL / AND DANIEL RICH / FOUNDERS

Founded by Mauritius Reich, anglicized to Morris Rich, Rich's was a department store retail chain, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated in the southern U.S. from 1867 until March 6, 2005 when the nameplate was eliminated and replaced by Macy's. Many of the former Rich's stores today form the core of Macy's Central, an Atlanta-based division of Macy's, Inc., which formerly operated as Federated Department Stores, Inc.

Daniel Rich who is mentioned on the reverse was the third brother to join the partnership in 1884.

The circular medal measures 56.9mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1941-011

References:   MACo 1928-026

This medal's obverse bears front-facing eagle in flight over ocean, holding wreath in its talons, between two rows of pylons; Statue of Liberty on horizon under wreath. Above, ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN PROUD / AND GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF HER SONS WHO GAVE / THEIR LIVES IN HER SERVICE AND WHO SLEEP IN THE / AMERICAN COASTAL WATER OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN; below, INTO THY HANDS O LORD; under Statue of Liberty, MCMXLI - MCMXLV; signed at lower right, A.MANCA 1963 ©

The reverse bears an eagle in flight, talons clutching a branch of oak in front of mountains under sky with thirteen stars. At left, eternal flame burning on waves with number 4596 beneath. Above, WE SHALL PAY ANY PRICE / BEAR ANY BURDEN - MEET ANY HARDSHIP / SUPPORT ANY FRIEND - OPPOSE ANY FOE / TO ASSURE THE SURVIVAL OF LIBERTY / JOHN F. KENNEDY below around: EAST COAST MEMORIAL NEW YORK DEDICATED MAY 23, 1963. Signed and dated along edge at bottom, ALBINO MANCA 1963

The East Coast War Memorial honors the 4,596 missing American servicemen who lost their lives in the Atlantic Ocean while engaged in combat during World War II between 1941 and 1945.

Erected in 1963 in Battery Park, at the southern end of Manhattan and designed by the architectural firm of Gehron and Seltzer, it was dedicated by President John F. Kennedy. The memorial's centerpiece is Albino Manca's massive, 23 feet tall bronze eagle, set on a black granite pedestal. It holds a laurel wreath and sits upon an ocean wave. This is to signify the act of mourning at sea.

The circular medal measures 64mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1963-002

References:   Murtha 471

References:   Cal HM-1996

The medallion's obverse bears, within decorated border, seated young woman holding a banner before a sky of stars and one falling star to her right. On banner, COMET ENGRAVING CO. / ESTABLISHED 1898 / CHICAGO

The reverse bears, within same decorated border, ENGRAVERS / AND / DESIGNERS / OF / EMBOSSIN / AND / STAMPING / DIES / IN / BRASS / AND / STEEL

The Comet Engraving Company was founded in 1898 by German immigrant Jacob “Honest Jake” Salg. The company, now named Comet Die & Engraving Company, is still under family management: two of Salg's great grandsons are managing it as of 2017.

This is a beautiful medal, probably designed as a showcase of Comet's work. Based on the lettering I would date it to the 1930's or 1940's, but I'd love to learn more about it.

The circular medallion measures 82.4mm in diameter. It was probably designed and struck in-house by the Comet Engraving Company.