All Medals

References:   MACo 1971-013-015, WR 15

The obverse bears bust of Ulysses Grant r.; below, seal of the Society; to left of truncation, four stars denoting his rank. Around, GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT; signed on trunctation, TIFFANY

The reverse shows a view of Grant's tomb. Around, DEDICATED NEW YORK APRIL 27 1897; in exergue, ISSUED BY THE THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC / AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY; signed at bottom, TIFFANY & CO.

This is the 11th medal issued by the American Numismatic Society.

The medal measures 64mm in diameter and was designed and struck by Tiffany & Company. The reported mintage for this medal is 1 piece in gold, 81 in silver, and 500 in bronze.

References:   ANS 11, Marqusee 376

The obverse bears conjoined busts of Belgium's King and Queen facing left. Below, streamer with legend FORTISSIMI - SUNT - BELGAE; at bottom, ANS sigil. Around, KING * ALBERT * AND * QUEEN * ELISABETH * OF * THE * BELGIANS; signed (TSS monogram) in lower left field.

The reverse bears channel seascape with low-flying bi-plane, clouds, and flying bird. Around, COMMEMORATING - THEIR - AERIAL - CROSSING - OF - THE - ENGLISH - CHANNEL - JULY - MDCCCCXVIII; signed below waves, T. SPICER-SIMSON

The medals are edge-stamped MEDALLIC ART CO. N.Y. and inscribed with a number.

This medal was the 37th official issue of the American Numismatic Society. It commemorates the flight of the king and queen of Belgium to England on the occasion of King George and Queen Mary's silver anniversary. The celebrations took place in London on July 6th, 1918.

The latin quote on the obverse is an abbreviation from the opening paragraph of Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War—"(Horum eorum) fortissimi sunt Belgae", meaning "The bravest of these are the Belgians." It is easy to forget that the year was 1918 and World War I was still being fought in Europe. Flying across the Channel by itself was not yet a common endeavor, but doing it during an active war was certainly a display of courage that cold not help but boost morale.

The medal measures 63.8mm (2.5in) and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York in bronze and silver. As with all early ANS medals, the mintage is very low; 1 medal was struck in gold, only 97 medals were struck in silver and 136 in bronze. Originally, the silver medals were sold for $10 and the bronze medals for $5.

References:   ANS 37, Baxter 282, MACo 1918-009, Marqusee 365

The medal's obverse bears a rendering of the Thompson Trophy with a figure of Icarus at center, surrounded by ten stars with two single engine planes flying across from left to right. Around,on a raised band, a 2 line legend detailing the names of the trophy winners through 1941. Rx: At top are the company logos and below an inscription: DOUG / DAVIS - SPEED / HOLMAN - LOWELL / BAYLES - JIMMIE / DOOLITTLE - JIMMIE / WEDELL - ROSCOE / TURNER - HAROLD / NEUMANN - MICHEL / DETROYAT - RUDY / KLING - THE / THOMPSON / THROPHY.

The reverse bears corporate logos of Thompson Products and Thompson Aircraft Products Companies over oak branch; at bottom, aircraft parts.  Across, COMMEMORATING / THE DEDICATION OF THE PLANT OF/THOMPSON AIRCRAFT PRODUCTS COMPANY, EUCLID OHIO, / SUBSIDIARY OF/ THOMPSON PRODUCTS, INC. / CLEVELAND, - OHIO, / U·S·A; around bottom, A.D. - 1941.

The Thompson Trophy came about when a volunteer at the first National Air Races in 1929 approached Mr. Lee Clegg of the Thompson Products to see whether he might sponsor an award. Clegg was amenable to the idea and purchased a trophy for the sum of $25 plus $10 for the engraving.  After the races were a smashing success, Clegg suggested that the National Aeronautic Association authorize a permanent Thompson Trophy and that was done. A committee of judges then chose Walter Sinz's design which is depicted on the medal's obverse.

The trophy was awarded 11 times before 1941 but Roscoe Turner won it three times.

The circular medal measures 89mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. Neither artist nor mintage are reported and any additional information would be highly welcome.

References:   Cal FM-1967

The obverse bears man leaning on plow, gazing right toward military cemetery. To left and right, MAN - SEEKS / TO TURN - FROM THE / SAVAGERY - OF WAR; in exergue, 1936 / ©

The reverse bears winged female figure in flight over mountains, holding olive branch. In exergue, PEACE

Stewart's Message from the Artist was very brief:

"In arriving at the subject matter for a contemporary medal, I was guided by the belief that man's voice of protest against war is growing from and inaudible whisper to a resounding concordance, which may bring 'between all men peace and good fellowship.'"

The message was deeply felt and widely shared, yet 1936 was already giving a preview of the violence that was to engulf the world within a few years: Italy concquered Ethiopia, civil war raged in Spain, Japanese aggression against China, the Arab revolt against the British, and of course Hitler's remilitarization of the Rhineland were all portents of a world at strife.

This medal was chosen as the 14th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1936. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company. Its mintage is reported to be 968 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-014, Marqusee 371, SoM 14

The medal's obvseres bears view of mountain populated by all kinds of wildlife; bear dominates left, waiting for salmon running upstream; in background, moose, beaver, ,squirrel, deer, bighorn sheep and eagle. Signed at lower right, EVERHART

The reverse bears calendar panel flanked by two bighorns, squirrels on meadow at bottom. At top, 1995

The circular medal measures 76.3mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The bronze medals originally cost $34.95 and the silver medals $169.  No mintages are reported.

References:   Cal MA-1995

The medal's obverse bears figure of Asher, facing right, picking fruit from a tree into basket at his feet; trees on hilly slope to his right, sun to his left. At top left, ASHER; signed and dated in exergue, © E. WEISTROP 1970

The reverse bears Star of David, symbols and names from all twelve medals. In center, THE / TWELVE / TRIBES OF / ISRAEL

Asher was Jacob's eighth son, his second son with Zilpah. Asher's blessing was the beauty of his women, who would be sought in marriage by kings and high priests. Jacob's blessing also included:

"Asher's bread shall be rich and he shall yield royal dainties."

This is the eighth medal in Elizabeth Weistrop's Twelve Tribes of Israel series. The circular medal measures 43mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintages are reported.

References:   MACo 1969-100-006, TToI 8

The medal's obverse bears

The reverse bears

This is the fourth annual membership medal issued by the Medal Collectors of America.

The circular medal measures 63.6mm in diameter and was struck in silver and bronze. The mintage is reported as 36 pieces in bronze and 28 pieces in silver.

This medal was chosen as the 2nd issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. The obverse bears a grape-crowned, bearded god of wine over shallow, two-handled kylix. Around, in two lines, HAIL - TO - DIONYSUS - WHO - FIRST - DISCOVERED / THE - MAGIC - OF - THE - GRAPE. The reverse bears youthful satyrs trampling grapes. Below, signed © / .P.MANSHIP 1930.

Manship's medal proved to be highly controversial and thus provided much needed publicity for the still young Society of Medalists. America was still nominally observing Prohibition and at least one member is reported to have resigned over this "glorification of wine."

The medal measures 73mm in diameter. The Medallic Art Company of New York struck a reported 1,950 medals in bronze and 50 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-002, Marqusee 256, Murtha 265, SoM 2