Medallic Art Company

The obverse bears portraits of the seven archbishops who presided over the Diocese of New York during its first century. Archbishop Farley in the center.

The reverse displays a view of St. Patrick's Cathedral in he center; at sides, partial representations if St. Peter's Church of 1808 on Barclay Street and St. Patrick's Church on Mott Street. consecrated in 1815. Four coats of arms entwined in a wreat at the sides.

Edge contains maker's mark, MED. ART CO & (D within diamond);

This medal was issued by both the American Numismatic Society (ANS) and the Catholic Diocese of New York. Only medals which bear edge numbers were issued by the ANS. One medal in gold was presented to Pope Pius X. Silver and bronze medals with the edge number 1 were presented to Archbishop Farley and 100 medals each in silver and bronze (numbered 2-101) were for ANS members. There is an unknown number of silver and bronze medals struck without numbers for the Diocese.

This medal was the 21st official issue of the American Numismatic Society.

The medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 1 piece in gold, and 101 each in bronze and silver.

References:   ANS 21, Baxter 299, MACo 1908-002

The medal's obverse bears standing female in gap between two half-walls, left arm resting on wall, right arm holding painter's pallet.Around top, THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO

The reverse bears oak and laurel branches before view of Art Institute building. Around top, THE NORMAN WAIT HARRIS PRIZE; across center, AWARDED TO / CLIFFORD ADDAMS / 1926; signed at bottom, V·D·Brenner Sc.

The medal was awarded for best painting by an American artist. This medal's recipient, Clifford Addams (1876-1942), was an American painter and printmaker who studied at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts, where he won the coveted Cresson Scholarship to study abroad. He went to France where he became a student of James McNeill Whistler and married fellow artist Inez Bate. He volunteered for service in the Royal Navy during World War I and returned to the U.S.in 1920. He became a prominent etcher and practiced his art in New York City.  He died in his studio in Greenwich Village in 1942.

The medal's obverse bears a striking resemblance in design to Hermon A. MacNeil's Standing Liberty quarter of 1916. It has been speculated that this medal inspired MacNeill's design.

The circular medal measures 70mm in diameter and was struck in silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   Baxter 138, MACo 1909-002

This was the 25th official medal issued by the American Numismatic Society.

The obverse bears nude female seated, holding a mirror but turning face away from it. To left, in four lines, 1909; to right, THE / NEW / THEATRE / OF / NEW / YORK / (ANS logo)

The reverse bears a full length female figure standing, holding a tablet from which is suspended a garland. A crtain at each side is drawn back by a nude child; two Roman lamps below. Incuse at bottom, 1909.

Edge is numbered.

This medal was issued by the American Numismatic Society (ANS) to commemorate the opening of the New Theatre in New York. The New Theatre, located at 62nd Street and Central Park West opened on November 6, 1909. It was noted for its fine architecture but due to poor acoustics and an inconvenient location it was financially unsuccessful. The theater was ultimately demolished in 1931.

Although the medal is dated 1909, it was not actually made available to members until 1916. Barbara Baxter comments that

"... the medal commemorating the opening of the New Theatre in York, with its highly decorative figural compositions and sinuous lines, perfectly captures the spirit of the Gilded Age."

The medal comes in two sizes, one measuring 77mm in diameter, the other 106mm. It was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 50 pieces in bronze for the larger size, at least 1 in gold, 50 in silver and 50 in bronze for the smaller size.

References:   ANS 25, Baxter 220, MACo 1909-003, Marqusee 323

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Lincoln, facing left. Around, ABRAHAM - LINCOLN; to left and right, 1809 - 1865; signed around bottom, J.E.ROINÉ COPYRIGHT (MACO mark)

The reverse bears wreath formed by laurel and oak branch. At top, LIBERATOR, in center field, · EMANCIPATION / · PROCLAMATION · / SIGNED / · JANUARY· FIRST· 1863 · / Abraham Lincoln; at bottom, 1909 / CENTENNIAL · COMMEMORATION

The medal was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1909-005

The medal's obverse bears bust of young laurel-crowned Apollo, facing right, within beaded border. Signed at lower right (AAW monogram).

The reverse bears oil lamp with three flames and light rays within beaded border and raised rim. Below, NATIONAL·INSTITUTE· / ·OF·ARTS·AND · / · LETTERS ·

The medal is inscribed to Charles McLean Andrews on the edge.

Charles McLean Andrews (1863-1943) was born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, where his father was a minister in the Catholic Apostolic Church. He studied first at Trinity and then at Johns Hopkins, where he received his Ph.D. in 1889. After teaching stints at Bryn Mawr and Johns Hopkins he finished his career at Yale, where he taught American history from 1910 until his retirement in 1931.

Honored with many memberships and fellowships for his historical publications‒he published 102 major scholarly articles and books as well as over 360 book reviews, newspaper articles and short items‒he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1935 and this medal in 1937. The National Institute of Arts and Letters' Gold Medal is only awarded once a decade and easily one of the most coveted prizes in the humanities.

The circular medal measures 57.6mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and gold-plated bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintages are reported but the awarded medal should be an exceedingly rare specimen!

Many thanks to the Yale University Art Gallery's Numismatics department for its generosity and assistance in making this beautiful medal available to me for research.

References:   Baxter 176, MACo 1909-007

References:   Baxter 241

The medal's obverse bears bust of Abraham Jacobi facing left. Around top, A · JACOBI · MD; around bottom, · M C M X · ; signed under truncation, MOWBRAY CLARKE

The reverse bears wreath and legend, · PRESENTED · / · IN · CELEBRATION · OF · HIS · / · FIFTY · YEARS · OF · SERVICE · / AT / · MT · SINAI · HOSPITAL · / · BY · THE · ASSOCIATED · / ALUMNI · / MDCCCLX / MCMX ·

Dr. Abraham Jacobi (1830-1919) was a German physician and pioneer of pediatrics, opening the first children's clinic in the United States. After studying medicine in Germany, he was involved in the 1848 revolution and served time in jail before leaving his home country for England in 1853. In exile, he lived with Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels before setting sail for the U.S. in 1854.

To date, he is the only foreign-born president of the American Medical Association. He helped found the American Journal of Obstetrics and is regarded as the Father of American Pediatrics.

The circular medal measures 50.9mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1910-003

This medal's obverse bears bust of Gibbons facing right. Around, JAMES CARDINAL GIBBONS

The reverse bears a view of Baltimore Basilica above coat of arms. Around, SACERDOS · 30 · JUN · 1861 ✝ EPISCOPUS · 16 · AUG 1868 (crozier) ARCHIEPISCOPUS · 3 · OCT · 1877 ☨ CARDINALIS · 30 · JUN · 1886; to left and right of coat of arms, 1861 - 1911

James Cardinal Gibbons was only the second American to attain the rank of Cardinal in the Catholic Church. Born to Irish immigrants, he became a priest in 1861 after recovering from severe Malaria that had left him too weak to be ordained four years earlier. Gibbons was controversial on several issues. He was a strong supporter of workers' causes and was instrumental in securing papal permission for Catholics to organize in labor unions. He also took a position in support of the King of Belgium and against clergy who were complaining against exploitative colonial practices.

Mencken, often a harsh critic of Christian ministers, wrote in 1921 after the Gibbons' death:

"More presidents than one sought the counsel of Cardinal Gibbons: he was a man of the highest sagacity, a politician in the best sense, and there is no record that he ever led the Church into a bog or up a blind alley. He had Rome against him often, but he always won in the end, for he was always right."

Designed by Jenkins and modeled by Miller, this medal was issued as part of Gibbons' golden jubilee celebration where President Taft honored him for his contributions.

The circular medal measures 70mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1911-001

References:   MACo 1912-G1