Medals Related to Atlanta

The medal's obverse bears standing Columbia with cornucopia in her arm, her cloak fluttering dramatically behind her; at her feet, winged cherub bearing sign labeled INDUSTRY; winged wheel at lower left; exposition building in background. Around upper left, ATLANTA - GEORGIA / U-S-A; signed around lower right, PH MARTINY - SC · NY ·

The reverse bears eagle at top, palm frond at left and cotton branch at right. Across, COTTON STATES / AND INTERNATIONAL / EXPOSITION / AWARDED TO / (cartouche engraved I. V. Joyce) / ATLANTA / GEORGIA / U · S · A / MDCCCXCV

The Cotton States and International Exposition of 1895 was held at the in Atlanta, Georgia. Nearly 800,000 visitors attended the event. The exposition was designed to promote the region to the world and showcase products and new technologies as well as to encourage trade with Latin America.

This is probably one of my all-time favorite exposition medals. It is modeled in extremely deep relief and is a masterpiece of Beaux-Arts design.

The circular medal measures 57.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island. 

References:   Baxter 92, Marqusee 258

The medal's obverse bears art-deco eagle with spread wings holding crossed Stars and Strips and Condeferate flag in its talons; fire underneath; circled star above.  At top, FRIENDSHIP; at bottom, HONOR · SERVICE; signed under flames, JULIAN HARRIS

The reverse bears silhouette of Rich's flagship store building. Around, 1867 - COMMEMORATING / THE SEVENTYFIFTH - ANNIVERSARY / OF RICH'S INC (star) - 1942; across, A SOUTHERN INSTITUTION / MORRIS, EMANUEL / AND DANIEL RICH / FOUNDERS

Founded by Mauritius Reich, anglicized to Morris Rich, Rich's was a department store retail chain, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated in the southern U.S. from 1867 until March 6, 2005 when the nameplate was eliminated and replaced by Macy's. Many of the former Rich's stores today form the core of Macy's Central, an Atlanta-based division of Macy's, Inc., which formerly operated as Federated Department Stores, Inc.

Daniel Rich who is mentioned on the reverse was the third brother to join the partnership in 1884.

The circular medal measures 56.9mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1941-011