All Medals

The obverse bears five nude youths bearing father's bier. The youngest carries a laurel wreath. Around, IN PEACE SONS BURY THEIR FATHERS; at lower left, BEACH / © 1937.

The reverse bears a gaunt father carrying son's body from the battlefield as vultures circle. Around, IN WAR THE FATHERS BURY THEIR SONS.

The brochure which acommpanied the medal had the following words from the artist:

"The tought of the medal is a simple, universal one when men pause to think straight; for that reason I have designed the medal as of no particular period. The Greeks probably put it most tersely, 'In Peace the Sons bury the Fathers, in War the Fathers bury the Sons.' Are our young men to be buried almost before mature manhood, under long rows of stone crosses, or are they to round out their lives and in turn be buried in reverence by their sons in peace? A thought to keep well before our vision as present war clouds again surround us."

Chester Beach put it well but what were the old and the young men to do when young men in other countries were being led towards war by their leaders?

This medal was chosen as the 16th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1937. Struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York, the reported production quantity of this medal is 941 in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-016, Marqusee 51, SoM 16

The medal's obverse bears Aesculap, the ancient Greek god of healing, facing left; above, the serpent, traditional symbol of his power; below, Chiron, the centaur who taught him the art of healing; decorative rosettas around.

The reverse bears a caduceus, embellished with plants found in the Albany area; below, Lamp of Enlightenment from the College's seal. Around top, ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE; around bottom, SESQUICENTENARY - (rosetta) MCMLXXXVIII (rosetta); signed over handle of lamp, (MS monogram)

The circular medallion measures 88.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Roger Williams Mint of Attleboro, Massachusetts. No mintage is reported.

The uniface medal bears mountain goat facing right within bold geometric border.  Around top, CAPRICORNUS; 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.

Capricorn is the tenth astrological sign in the zodiac, originating from the constellation of Capricornus. It spans the 270–300th degree of the zodiac, corresponding to celestial longitude. Under the tropical zodiac, the sun transits this area from December 22 to January 19 each year, and under the sidereal zodiac, the sun transits the constellation of Capricorn from approximately January 16 to February 16.

In astrology, Capricorn is considered an earth sign, negative sign, and one of the four cardinal signs. Capricorn is said to be ruled by the planet Saturn. Its symbol is based on the Sumerians' primordial god of wisdom and waters, Enki, with the head and upper body of a goat and the lower body and tail of a fish. Later known as Ea in Akkadian and Babylonian mythology, Enki was the god of intelligence (gestú, literally "ear"), creation, crafts; magic; water, seawater and lakewater.

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

References:   MACo 1967-151-001

References:   BG 17

The medal's obverse bears medallic rendition of John Trumbull's painting "The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill," showing General Warren on the ground, held by a fellow Colonial, with British troops closing in from the right. Around top, BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL; at bottom, 1775.

The reverse bears view of the Bunker Hill memorial obelisk. To its left, TO / COMMEMORATE / THE / 150TH ANNIVERSARY / OF THE / BATTLE OF / BUNKER HILL / 1775 - 1925; signed around lower left, KILENYI

The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17th, 1775. Two days earlier, the leaders of the colonial forces besieging Boston learned that the British were planning to send troops out from the city to fortify the unoccupied hills surrounding the city, which would give them control of Boston Harbor. In response, 1,200 colonial troops under the command of William Prescott stealthily occupied Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. During the night, the colonists constructed a strong redoubt on Breed's Hill, as well as smaller fortified lines across the Charlestown Peninsula.

By daybreak of June 17, the British became aware of the presence of colonial forces on the Peninsula and mounted an attack against them that day. Two assaults on the colonial positions were repulsed with significant British casualties; the third and final attack carried the redoubt after the defenders ran out of ammunition. The colonists retreated to Cambridge over Bunker Hill, leaving the British in control of the Peninsula.

While the British won the battle, they lost over a thousand men, more than 100 of them officers. General Clinton, echoing Pyrrhus of Epirus, remarked in his diary that "A few more such victories would have shortly put an end to British dominion in America."

My instance of the medal is dedicated on the edge to the colorful Boston mayor James Michael Curley. I don't know whether all instances are thus marked or whether my instance was Curley's personal medal.

The circular medal measures 76.1mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Whitehead-Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey.  No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears flying bird with American shield iover ship's sterring wheel. Inscribed in wheel, UNITED STATES - FIDELITY AND - GUARANTY COMPANY / · 1896 ·;  In exergue, U.S.F. & G. / BALTIMORE / MARYLAND

The reverse bears flying bird over wreath. Sword with 1896 at left, staff with 1946 at right; between, FIFTY YEARS / OF / INSURANCE / AND / SURETYSHIP

The circular medal measures 76mm in diameter. No mintage is reported.

The uniface medal bears a basketbll player poised to pass ball, r. Across, NATIONAL - COLLEGIATE / BASKET- BALL / CHAM- PION- SHIP; signed (RAW monogram) / ©

Dick Johnson lists three different set numbers for this medal but as they are without images, I can't be sure which one this medal represents.  The set numbers are 001 through 003.

The circular medal measures 44.3mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1950-056

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 / Martin Roche / ONE OF THE DESIGNERS / OF THE WORLD'S / COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION / ON THE FOURHUNDREDTH / ANNIVERSARY / OF THE LANDING OF / COLUMBUS / OCTOBER 21 / 1892

Martin Roche was part owner of the famous architectural firm of "Holabird and Roche", one of the most prolific firms in Chicago. They are known for the Marquette Building, the neo-classical Soldier Field and the New South Wales Building of the Columbian Exposition. The firm was renamed after William Holabird and Martin Roche died and is now known as "Holabird and Root."

Elihu Vedder is famous and well known for his paintings, in particular his illustrations for "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam." He is less well known for his medallic work but this medal is a beautiful and rare example of his skill as a sculptor.

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

The circular medal measures 64mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Whiting Manufacturing Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

The obverse bears two standing female figures. The taller is Columbia, arms spread wide holding the United States. The youthful maiden represents the Louisiana Purchase Territory. Emblematic of her reception into the union, the maiden is divesting herself of the cloak of France, the material decorated with bees, the emblem of Napoleon. In the background is the rising sun, marking the dawn of a new era of progress to the nation. Around, UNIVERSAL EXPOSITION - SAINT LOUIS - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; below the year MCMIV.

The reverse bears an eagle over architectural tablet with inscription BRONZE MEDAL / LOUISIANA PURCHASE / EXPOSITION. Two dolphins symbolizing the nation's eastern and western ocean boundaries frame the tablet on the sides.

The Saint Louis Award Medal is one of Weinman's earliest commissions for a medal, and one that made him justifiably famous.

The medal was created in five different versions and four different shapes to distinguish between Grand Prizes, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Commemorative medals.

The shiled-shaped bronze medal measures 71.8mm x 71.8mm and weights approximately 146.2 grams. The U.S. Mint at Philadelphia struck 9,000 gold award medals in bronze.