Whitehead & Hoag

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Reverend Noll facing left. Around, RT. REV. JOHN F. NOLL, D.D., L.L.D.; signed over right shoulder, KILENYI

The reverse bears view of Catholic community center in Wayne, Indiana; in exergue, round emblem with knight, cross, and shield. Around and across top, CATHOLIC COMMUNITY CENTER / DEDICATED / 1927; in exergue, streamer reading FT. WAYNE / INDIANA; at bottom, W.&H. CO. - NEWARK, N.J.

The Catholic Community Center of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, was dedicated in a ceremony held on April 21, 1927.  Bishop Noll blessed the building on the morning of the 21st and Senator David I. Walsh from Massachusetts delivered the principal address of a celebratory program that lasted four days.

The circular medal measures 44.2mm 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 portrait of Simon J. Murphy, Sr., facing. Around, SIMON J. MURPHY / 1815 - 1905; signed under truncation at right, Eue

The reverse bears a view of the Penobscot Building. Above, PENOBSCOT; over smaller building in background, 1915; below, 1927 1905

Simon J. Murphy Sr. (1815-1905) was a Maine businessman who started out as a logger and ended up in control of vast lumber lands in Michigan and all over America.  He started the take-over of the Pacific Lumber Company, which succeeded two months after his death. The buildings on the reverse are located in Detroit's financial district.

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 paperweight bears view of Wall Street in New York City; underneath, · 55 · WALL - STREET · 52 ·; at bottom, burning torch flanked by two oval panels connected by streamer; left panel with heraldic imageery surrounded by THE NATIONAL CITY BANK / OF NEW YORK; right panel, view of building subtitled NATIONAL CITY BANK / BUILDING, surrounded by THE NATIONAL CITY COMPANY / NEW YORK; at bottom, MAY 1ST - 1928; signed at right bottom of street scene, KILENYI

The paperweight has two rounded feet on the reverse's top corners. It measures 71.8mm x 100.6mm and was struck in bronze by the Whitehead-Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey. No mintage is reported.

References:   Marqusee 230

The medal's obvese bears a desert scene from a trading caravan with camel at left and group of two Bedouins haggling over a length of cloth; camels in background on sand dune. Signed at bottom right, KILENYI

The obverse bears city with factories in background. In lower half, NATIONAL RETAIL DRY GOODS ASSOCIATION / REPLICA OF MEDALS / AWARDED TO / CARLOS B. CLARK AND LEW HAHN / FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE / TO THE CRAFT / PRESENTED FEBRUARY 7. 1929

Clark and Hahn each received a gold medal that was named to them. Another 18 gold medals were issued over the next 30 years. One gold-plated medal named to Seidel is kjnown to exist. 

Many thanks to Harry Waterson for the detailed information on variants and mintages.

The obverse bears a bust (l.) of Richard Byrd wearing aviator's goggles emerging from a bank of clouds. Across, COMMEMORATING THE CONQUEST OF THE POLES / BY REAR ADMIRAL RICHARD E. BYRD / AND HIS ASSOCIATES / PRESENTED BY / THE AERONAUTICAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF AMERICA; along bottom edge, MAY 9 1926 - NOVEMBER 29 1929.

The reverse bears eagle perched on airborne Ford tri-motor; polar scene below, Signed at bottom right, KILENYI.

The bronze medal measures 82.4mm (3.25") in diameter and was struck by Whitehead & Hoag. During the presentation banquet one gold medal was given to Admiral Byrd, his associates received silver medals, and all other guests received bronze medals. The mintage is 1,000 pieces in bronze, 65 in silver-plate and 1 in 10kt gold. 

According to Harry Waterson, the undisputed Kilenyi specialist, a piece in sterling silver might exist. It might be that an initial production run or a sample piece was struck in sterling silver but then, due to the Great Depression, subsequent pieces were struck in much less cheaper silver-plated base metal.  Any updates on this question would be highly welcome.

References:   Marqusee 217

References:   Marqusee 219,220