Medals Related to New York City

The medallion bears portrait of Thornton Floyd Turner, facing left. Around upper left, + THORNTON FLOYD TURNER +; signed at lower right, HUFF

The reverse bears the Turner family's crest.

Thornton Floyd Turner (1865-1919) was a clergyman and New York City architect. He practiced architecture from 1890 to 1900 and was a member of the New York Society of Beaux Arts Architects as well as the St. Nicholas Society of New York. After 1912, he was Rector at St. Peter's Church in Bennington, Vermont.

It is unclear to whom the "Huff" signature refers.

The circular medallion measures 99mm in diameter.  No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears bust of Brevet Colonel James Duncan,r., die crack runniing through bust from approx. 11 o'clock to 5 o'clock. Around, PALO ALTO, RESACA DE LA PALMA, MONTEREY, VERA CRUZ, CERRO GORDA, SAN ANTONIO.; to left and right of bust, BREVET COL. - JAMES DUNCAN. Signed under truncation, C.C. WRIGHT SC.; and at bottom, S. ELLIS DEL.

The reverse bears legend only. Around, CITY OF MEXICO, GARITA BELEN, GARITA COSME, CHAPULTEPEC, MOLINA DEL REY, CHERUBUSCO.; across, PRESENTED BY / THE CITIZENS OF N.YORK / TO / BREVT. COL. JAMES DUNCAN / OF THE / UNITED STATES ARMY / DEC. 28TH. 1848.

James Duncan (d. 1849) graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1834. Two years later, he served in the Florida war against the Seminole Indians and commanded an artillery company during the war with Mexico from 1846 to 1848. His heroics in the latter conflict caught the attention of army officials, and Duncan rose rapidly from captain to colonel. In late 1848, President James Polk appointed Colonel Duncan inspector general of the United States Army.

The medal was given to him just before his first tour of inspection when he visited New York. He died only months later from Yellow Fever which he contracted from troopers in Mobile, Alabama.

The circular medal measures 53.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the U.S. Mint. No mintage is reported, but the large die crack would argue for a small production run.

The medal's obverse bears two allegorical female figures representing Europe and America, flanking a giant globe spanned by a cable; angel above, Eagle and Lion at the feet of their figures; three small panels below, bearing American Eagle and shield, native with trade goods and ocean in background, and British coat of arms. At bottom, TIFFANY & CO. N.Y.

The reverse bears two ships at sea with others in background. Above, FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE / AND CITIZENS OF NEW YORK,; in exergue, COMMEMORATIVE OF THE PART TAKEN / BY HIM / IN LAYING THE FIRST / TELEGRAPHIC CABLE / BETWEEN / EUROPE AND AMERICA IN AUGUST, A.D. 1858

Cyrus West Field (1819-1892) was born in Stockbridge, Massachusetts and rose to world-wide fame for being one of the backers of the first transatlantic telegraph cable.  The first trans-atlantic cable was laid from Telegraph Field, Foilhommerum Bay, Valentia Island in western Ireland to Heart's Content in eastern Newfoundland and heralded a new era of communications.  While the cable failed after a brief period of service, it proved the feasibility of the concept of instantaneous trans-atlantic communications. Its significance can be compared to the first trans-atlantic flight or the first Moon landing. 

The medal bears some similarity to the gold medals that were awarded to Field and his partner, but the reverse is different.  Struck by Tiffany and Company, New York, the circular medal measures 69mm in diameter.  Only few large-size bronze peices are known to exist.

Images courtesy of Stack's Bowers Galleries, www.StacksBowers.com.

References:   Marqusee 377

References:   ANS 5

References:   ANS 6

The medal's obverse bears nobleman standing in front of array of flags and bladed weapons, skimpy eagle with spread wings at his feet. Around, COMPLIMENTS OF EAGLE ENGRAVING & STAMPING CO. / OFFICE ROBT. STOLL - 18 JOHN ST. NEW YORK; signed around bottom, D. BRENNER - FECIT N.Y.

The reverse bears legend: MANUFACTURERS / COINS, / MEDALS, / BADGES ETC. / ALL KINDS OF STAMPING IN / GOLD, SILVER, BRONZE, BRASS, ETC. / IN GENERAL FOR THE TRADE / PRESS & DROP HAMMER WORK / A SPECIALTY / 92 FULTON ST & / 132 WILLIAM ST. / NEW YORK / ESTIMATES FURNISHED WITH OR WITHOUT DIES.

Victor David Brenner was at the very beginning of his career when he made this medal while he was working for Robert Stoll. It was used as a store card to show off some of the services that Stoll could provide.

The circular medal measures 44.7mm in diameter and was struck in white metal by Robert Stoll. No mintage is reported.  It is referenced in Smedley's catalogue as #6.

References:   ANS 10, Baxter 116, Marqusee 97

The obverse bears five seated female figures representing the five burroughs, the names of each burrough beneath them. Behind figures, within ornamented pediment supported by two columns, inscription, NEW YORK / JANUARY 1 / MDCCCXCVIII; view of New York harbor in background; seal of Society at bottom. Around, COMMEMORATING THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE MUNICIPALITIES ABOUT THE PORT OF NEW YORK

The reverse bears four vignettes divided by the four arms of a Dutch windmill. Starting on left, in counter-clockwise direction, the vignettes depict Peter Minuit purchasing Manhattan Island from the Indians, Henry Hudson's Halve Maene, the Dutch evacuating Fort Amsterdam, a Contiental Army officer reading the Declaration of Independence. Around, (tulip) MAY 4 1626 (scallop shell) SEPT. 2 1609 (crown) SEPT. 8 1664 / JULY 9 1776 (eagle)

This is the 13th medal issued by the American Numismatic Society.

The medal measures 64mm in diameter. Designed by Edward Hall and modeled and struck by Tiffany & Company, the reported mintage for this medal is 1 piece in gold, and unknown numbers in silver and bronze. I own a piece that—at least according to PCGS—seems to be struck in copper and is not documented in the great Miller book on the ANS medal series.

References:   ANS 13, Marqusee 197

The obverse bears winged angel of mercy above two seated figures, a female representing poverty with face uplifted at left and a male representing crime, with shackled hand at right. In exergue, · ISSUED · BY · THE · AMERICAN · NUMISMATIC · / · AND · ARCHAEOLOGICAL · SOCIETY · / · NEW · YORK ·; signed at lower right, V D BRENNER 98

The reverse bears an oak tree at right with branches and foliage extending across entire field to left. Over foliage, nineteen-line inscription, · TO · COMMEMORATE · / · THE · SESSION · OF · THE · 25TH · / · NATIONAL · CONFERENCE · OF · / · CHARITIES · AND · CORRECTION · / · IN · THE · CITY · OF · NEW · YORK · / · MAY · 18TH · 25TH · 1898 · / · PRESIDENT · / · WILLIAM · RHINELANDER · STEWART · / · NEW · YORK · / · VICE · PRESIDENTS · / · CHARLES · R · HENDERSON · · THOMAS · E · ELLISON · / · CHICAGO · · FORT WAYNE · / · ISAIAH · JOSEPHI · / · NEW · YORK · / · TREASURER · / · LEVI · L · BARBOUR · DETROIT · / · GENERAL · SECRETARY · / · HASTINGS · H · HART · / · ST. PAUL ·; signed at lower right, V.D.BRENNER

The circular medal measures 77mm in diameter and was struck in bronze, silver and gold. The reported mintages are 1 gold piece, 30 pieces in silver and 253 pieces in bronze.

References:   ANS 12, Baxter 118, Marqusee 85

References:   Baxter 273