All Medals

The obverse bears city skyline to left and family of three to right; in exergue, eagle with thirteen stars. Around top, PHILANTHROPOS · CARITAS; signed under family, C P JENNEWEN

The reverse bears wreath surrounded by AMICUS - HUMANIS / GENERIS; in center field, PRESENTED / TO / BY / MARTS & LUNDY / IN ADMIRATION FOR THE OUTSTANDING / VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP IN / WHICH WILL BENEFIT / OTHERS FOR MANY / GENERATIONS

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

Marts & Lundy was founded in 1926 and operates as a fundraising consulting firm. Per its website, "its services center around maximizing a client's philanthropic potential and building a sustainable culture of philanthropy around its stakeholder base."

This is an elegant commercial medal by one of the American masters of medallic art.

The circular medal measures 76.5mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1965-087

References:   MACo 1930-001-028, SoM 28, Marqusee 350

The medal's obverse bears bust of Washington Allston, facing right.  Around left and right, WASHINGTON - ALLSTON; signed at bottom, P. P. DUGGAN DEL.  C. C. WRIGHT SC.

The reverse bears standing Columbia with American shield, crowning two artists, one holding sculptor's mallet, the other painter's pallet and brushes, on step below. Around top, AMERICAN - ART-UNION; signed and dated on steps, P.P. DUGGAN DEL. / 1847 - C.C. WRIGHT SC.

Washington Allston (1779-1843) was a famous American painter and poet who was born in Waccamaw River, South Carolina. After traveling a lot, he spent most of his later life in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  He is buried in Harvard Square. A western suburb of Boston, Allston, is named after him.

This was the first medal in the American Art-Union medal series.

The circular medal measures 64.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze at the U.S. Mint. No mintage is reported.

Many thanks to eBayer Pat who granted me permission to use the images of the silver variant and to Tom Rogahn who pointed them out to me.

References:   AAU 1, Storer 1860, Marqusee 409

The medal's obverse bears crowned head of female, facing right.  Around, LATVIA - PRO MERITO

The medal's reverse bears the coat of arms of Latvia. At bottom, 1918 - 1968

While this medal is not signed, Dick Johnson's research into the Medallic Art Company's archives attributes it to Joseph di Lorenzo who designed it for the American Latvian Association to celebrate 50 years of (nominal) independence.

The circular medal measures 50.7mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1968-004

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.

The medal bears portrait of Rowland Gibson Hazard, facing right. Around left, ROWLAND HAZARD - MCMVI / MDCCCXXIX - AVGVST - XVI - MDCCCXCVIII - SYRACVSE; around right, SOLVAY PROCESS Co FOVNDED / MDCCCLXXXI; signed over shoulder, R E·BROOKS / FECIT

Rowland Gibson Hazard was the brother of Solvay Process Company co-founder Roland Hazard II and was the company's vice president for many years. The Solvay Process Company built a giant chemical plant in up-state New York that gave the surrounding town its name. The plant closed in 1986 due to competition from cheaper sources of baking soda.

R. E. Brooks was one of the first artists to use Henri Weil's Janvier machine in New York City, however there are no documents to prove or disprove that the medal was manufactured by the young Medallic Art Company.

The circular uniface medal measures 64.1mm in diameter.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1927-041

The medal's obverse bears a strutting turkey cock and the legend AMERICA, with signature ALBERT - / LAESSLE. Turtle shell under signature.

The reverse bears an ear of corn framed by separated husks. Around, ABUNDANCE.

Laessle said in the brochure that accompanied the medal:

"Wishing to symbolize the abundance of America, I have chosen for my medal two truly American subjects, the turkey and the corn."

It should be noted that America, like most other developed nations at the time, was still in the grip of the Great Depression when this medal was issued.

This medal was chosen as the 10th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage for this issue is 1,021 pieces in bronze and 125 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-010, Marqusee 234, SoM 10