All Medals

References:   MACo 1971-013-014, WR 14

The medal's obverse bears central sun with planets arranged in spiral swirl around; God and Adam from famous creation scene with hands touching over sun; at upper right, circular field with two hands holding swirling universe; around field, What We Can Dream, We Can Accomplish In A New Millenium; decorative border swirl around medal that ends in 2000. Signed along inner spiral edge, S ADAMS

The reverse bears central sun with 2000 inside. Month panels arranged in circular fan around with planets in gaps between.

The design uses layers of creation imagery to depict the complexity of the approaching new millenium.

The circular medal measures 76.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medalcraft Mint of Green Bay Wisconsin. No mintage is reported.

References:   Cal MC-2000

The medal's obverse bears view of corporate headquarters in Hartford, Connecticut, with company's stag ("hart") at center top. To left and right of stag, 1810 - 1921; at bottom, HARTFORD / FIRE INSURANCE / COMPANY / HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT; signed at right, (JMS monogram)

The medal's reverse bears aerial view of company's home office grounds and athletic field. At top, AIRPLANE VIEW; at bottom, HOME OFFICE / GROUNDS AND ATHLETIC FIELD

The Hartford was founded in 1810 in Hartford, Connecticut. A group of local merchants gathered in a Hartford inn and, with working capital of $15,000, founded the Hartford Fire Insurance Company. The company survived some of the greatest peacetime tragedies in American history. After a huge fire destroyed New York's financial district in 1835, the Hartford's president, Eliphalet Terry, used his personal wealth to cover all of the company's damage claims.

The circular medal measures 101.1mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Whitehead & Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey. No mintage is reported.

References:   BG 6

References:   MACo 1971-013-016, WR 16

References:   BG 15

References:   MACo 1967-151-004

The uniface medal bears crab as seen from above, pincer claws facing towards upper edge. Between claws, CANCER

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.

Cancer i s the fourth astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Cancer. It spans 90° and 120° celestial longitude. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun transits this area on average between June 22 and July 22, and under the sidereal zodiac, the Sun transits this area between approximately July 16 and August 15.

In astrology, Cancer is the cardinal sign of the Water trigon, which is made up of Cancer, Pisces, and Scorpio. It is considered a negative sign, whose domicile, or ruling planet, is the Moon. Though some depictions of Cancer feature a lobster, the sign is most often represented by the crab, based on the Karkinos, a giant crab that harassed Heracles during his fight with the Hydra.

Interestingly, at least to numismatists who live and breathe medallic art, this zodiac medal does not have the MACO 1967 copyright that the other medals in the series sport somewhere on the obverse.

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

References:   MACo 1967-151-007

The medal's obverse bears barefoot, aproned metalworker, holding chasing hammer and graver, kneeling on dais in dynamic pose, facing right; anvil to his left. Around top, THE ROBBINS COMPANY; on dais, CRAFTSMEN / IN METAL

The reverse bears legend flanked by laurel branches: COMPLIMENTS / OF / THE ROBBINS CO. / ATTLEBORO / MASSACHUSETTS / ADVERTISING SPECIALTIES / BADGES - SOUVENIRS / ~ MEDALS ~ / COLLEGE AND SCHOOL / JEWELRY

Medals or plaquettes made to showcase and advertise a maker's services were called "storecards" and quite common in the first half of the 20th century. This is probably the nicest storecard  in my posession and it is full of ambiguity.  The young metal worker appears to be kneeling in revery, but in a pose that could also be seen as a dynamic leap. His left hand holding the graver is held out straight whereas the right hand holding the chasing hammer dangles relaxed behind him. I find myself intrigued by the design.

The circular medal measures 79.3mm in diameter and was strucki n bronze by the Robbins Company of Attleboro, Massachusetts. Neither artist nor mintage or date are known to me and I would appreciate any additional information.

The obverse bears statue of LaFayette on horseback. To left and right, LAFA - YETTE / WE - ARE / HERE; signed at right, (JF monogram)

The looped medal's reverse bears statue of Lafayette, half right. Around, COMM· DEDIC· OF THE STATUE OF LAFA-YETTE PRES· TO THE CITY OF METZ BY THE / KNIGHTS - OF COLUMBUS; to left and right of statue, SEPT - EMBER / VI - MCMXX; signed in right field, (JF monogram)

It was in the year 1775 in the French city of Metz that the Marquis de LaFayette committed himself to the cause of the American Revolution. He became one of the central figures of the revolution and gained the undying gratitude of the young nation. In 1919, the Knights of Columbus sponsored an equestrian statue of LaFayette

"to commemorate the fraternal participation of France to the foundation of the United State (1775-1783) and to immortalize the sacrifice of the glorious French and American soldiers who died on the battlefields of Liberty, in 1914-1918."

In August 1920 one of the famous equestrian statues of Lafayette by the American sculptor P.W. Bartlett, was inaugurated in the Square Boufflers of Metz, near the very place where Lafayette stood in 1775 at the Governor's Palace.

The medal measures 41mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. Its mintage is not reported.

References:   Marqusee 147