The John E. Marqusee Collection

References:   ANS 36, Baxter 319, MACo 1918-010, Marqusee 296

The medal's obverse bears bust of Washington, facing right. Around, (star) GEORGE WASHINGTON. (star) / BORN FEB. 22 1732. (star) DIED DEC. 14 1799.; signed under truncation, Paquet. F.

The reverse bears sculpture bust of Washington on top of medal cabinet, surrounded by banister. Around, (star) WASHINGTON CABINET OF MEDALS, U.S. MINT. (star) / INAUGURATED FEB. 22 1860.

On February 22, 1860, the Washington Cabinet of Medals was formally inaugurated at the United States Mint in Philadelphia. This culminated over a decade of collecting medallic remembrances of our first president by mint officials and others. Julian reports that James Ross Snowdon might have had this and an earlier medal struck solely to add his own contribution to the Mint's growing collection of Washingtonia.

The medal measures 59.7mm in diameter and was struck by the U.S. Mint. No mintage is reported.

References:   Marqusee 312

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

This plaquette bears portrait of Smith facing right; ivy ranks framing window behind him. At top, VERITAS; below window frame, BOSTON / 1915; at bottom THEOBALD SMITH

Theobald Smith (1859-1934) was a pioneering epidemiologist and pathologist and is widely considered to be America's first internationally significant medical research scientist. In 1895 Smith moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts to accept a dual appointment: serve as professor of comparative pathology at Harvard University, and direct the pathology lab at the Massachusetts State Board of Health. Smith joined the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research as Director of the Department of Animal Pathology in 1915 and remained there until his retirement in 1929.

This plaquette was commissioned by Harvard University to commemorate Smith's departure after 20 years as a professor. 

My copy comes framed and I did not have the heart to take the assembly appart to take a stand-alone picture. If someone has a good picture to share, I would appreciate it.

The plaquette measures 51mm x 73mm and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1915-015, Marqusee 324

This medal's obverse depicts Truth guiding Apollo's chariot. At top, LVX ET / VERITAS; signed at bottom, B L PRATT

The reverse bears five lines of inscription flanked by burning torches, VNIVERSITAS YALENSIS / A D MDCCCCI / CONCELEBRAT / COLLEGIVM YALENSE / A D MDCCI CONDITVM

The edge is hallmarked TIFFANY & CO

Bela Lyon Pratt was himself a graduate of Yale and was commissioned in 1899 by Professors Weir and Niemeyer to design this medal for the upcoming 200th anniversary of Yale College. The medal was struck in silver and bronze. One of the silver medals was given to President Theodore Roosevelt and one of the bronze medals was taken into space by Astronaut Joseph B. Allen.

This is a beautiful medal with a very appropriate design for one of great universities of the world.

The circular medal measures 70mm in diameter and was produced by Tiffany & Company of New York. It was struck in bronze and silver in unknown mintages.

References:   Baxter 217, Marqusee 325

The obverse bears kneeling nude youth holding an airplane model in right hand, left hand on propeller; sun at left horizon. To right, date and signature 19 (circled BP) 41 / ©

The reverse bears dove in flight over fleecy clouds. Below, FLIGHT

Brenda Putnam wrote in the brochure accompanying the medal:

"Although this medal is issued during a preiod when the entire world is engaged in a gigantic struggle on land, at sea, and in the air, the theme of the medal is not warlike. The lad is no warrior, and the bird no eagle. Rather does the design concern itself with man's creative struggle to win supremacy in a vast new region, -the air. The war proves only too well the appalling destructive power of fighting and bombing planes. But beyond the war -and there will surely be a beyond- there are infinite possibilities for constructive and humanitarian activities in man's conquest of the air."

This medal was chosen as the 26th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1942. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York, which struck 759 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-026, SoM 26, Marqusee 326

References:   CoF 9, Marqusee 327

The obverse bears herm-type male bust facing upward against massive stylized wings. Around, ALL - PASSES ART ALONE ENDURING STAYS TO US; in lower left field, THE BUST / OUTLASTS / THE / THRONE; in exergue, THE COIN TIBERIUS; at left, incuse, R.H.RECCHIA / ©

The reverse bears nude youth leaping with outstretched arms into starry sky; hills clouds, and rays in background. Around, TOO LOW THEY BUILD WHO - BUILD BENEATH THE STARS

This medal is one of the two war-time SOM medals that were originally struck in silver because copper was largely dedicated to war needs. Apparently, 57 50mm-diameter pieces were struck in bronze but even long-time collectors have not seen any. Some were later struck in the 1970's.

Recchia drew his own inspiration for this medal from poetry, namely Austin Dobson's "Ars Victrix' for the quotes on the obverse and Edward Young's "Night Thoughts" on the reverse. Recchia wrote in the brochure accompanying the medal:

"The bust ... shows the man's mind stretching upwards, to and beyond the flight of the wings of imagination and passing time and depicting man's dreams of seeking higher realms of inspiration."

Recchia's combined message was devoid of war-time propaganda and very humanistic at its core. Or maybe the very fact that it was so humanistic made it a very effective war-time message for an audience that was fighting for the survival of western civilization.

On a personal note, this is the medal that inspired me to become a medal collector when I first saw it on display at the Yale University Art Gallery. To this day, it remains one of my favorite art medals.

This medal was chosen as the 29th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1944. It was first produced in 50mm and was struck in silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York. OVerall, the reported production quantity of this medal is 891 small-diameter silver, 57 small-diameter bronze, 150 large-diameter bronze, and 100 large-diameter silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-029, Marqusee 329, SoM 29

The obverse bears head of mother with closed eyes holding her child with long hand supporting head. Along left and right edges, PRO / PATRIA

The reverse depicts Prometheus chained to rock at ankles and wrists, attacked by eagle. At top, left, and right, PRO / HVMANI / TATE (mark composed of crossed flaming torches over bar); signed below, Joseph E. Renier. Sc. / ©

Renier dedicated this medal to "all those who contriute their something to life." He wrote in the medal's brochure:

"The underlying theme of this medal is the devotion of womanhood and manhood to country and to humanity. "

1941 was the year America officially entered World War II and the theme of "sacrifice" and "devotion" was lay heavily on people's minds. Prometheus' "For Humanity" applies to the legen just as it applied to how American's saw their involvement in the war.

This medal was chosen as the 23rd issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1941. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York which struck 849 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-023, Marqusee 330, SoM 23

References:   Marqusee 331