Medals Related to New York City

The plaquette's obverse bears draped, nude child on divan, printing press in background, brazier in foreground at left; two conjoined medals bearing Benjamin Franklin and Thomas L. De Vinne at right. At top, AND THE LIGHT CAME; at bottom right, DEGREE OF MASTER / OF ARTS CONFERRED BY / COLVMBIA AND YALE / VNIVERSITIES 1901; signed at left, V.D.BRENNER

The reverse bears four lines of legend in beaded and outlined border, · FRANKLIN · BIRTHDAY · DINNER · / · JANUARY · 17 · 1902 · / · TYPOTHETÆ · OF · THE · CITY · / · OF · NEW · YORK ·

The typothetae [of the City of New York] were the master type setters who took understandable pride in their craft and chose to celebrate a dinner with two great Americans as the "patron saints" of their profession: Benjamin Franklin and Theodore Low de Vinne.  Benjamin Franklin requires no introduction, but Theodore Low de Vinne might be a less familiar name.  De Vinne was a master typographer and typesetter who became famous for his "Century Roman" typeface and for being a co-founder of the Grolier Club.  He was also a founder and the first president of the United Typothetae of America, a predecessor of the Printing Industries of America.

The plaquette was struck in bronze and measures 64mm x 56.9mm.  No mintage is reported.

References:   HSoNY 1904

The medal's obverse bears conjoined portraits of John Pintard and Egbert Benson, facing quarter left. Around left, JOHN PINTARD / FOUNDER; around right, EGBERT BENSON / FIRST PRESIDENT; signed around lower right, V.D.Brenner

The medal's reverse bears old and new buildings of the New York Historical Society with society's medallion supported by palm leaves at bottom, Around, · THE · NEW · YORK · HISTORICAL · SOCIETY · 1804 - 1904; under the horizontal separator between buildings, IT IS DELIGHTFUL / TO RECALL THE PAST

John Pintard (1759-1844) was an American merchant and philanthropist. He was orphaned at the tender age of 18 months and grew up with his uncle, Lewis Pintard.  He made his fortune in the China and East India Trade and lost it in Alexander Hamilton's scheme to fund the national debt. While he never recovered his former wealth, he regained comfortable financial status and founded or was active in many of New York's respected cultural institutions, among them the New York Historical Society, the American Antiquarian Society, the American Bible Society, and the Tammany Society. He was also active in the movement that lobbied for the construction and completion of the Erie Canal.  He was what we would call "a pillar of scoiety" and died highly respected in 1844.

Egbert Benson (1746-1833) was a lawyer, jurist and politician from Upper Red Hook, New York, and a Founding Father of the United States who represented New York in the Continental Congress, Annapolis Convention, and the United States House of Representatives. He served as a member of the New York State constitutional convention in 1788 which ratified the United States Constitution. He also served as the first Attorney General of the State of New York, Chief Justice of the New York Supreme Court, and as a judge and Chief Judge on the United States Circuit Court for the Second Circuit. He is one of the Dutch Americans alongside John Jay to lead the American Revolution.

The circular medal measures 63.7mm and was struck in gold-patinated bronze. No mintage is reported.

References:   HSoNY 1905

References:   HSoNY 1906

The medal's obverse bears bust of Frederick Samuel Tallmadge, facing three quarters right. Around, FREDERICK SAMVEL TALLMADGE / 1824 - 1904; to his left,  - / PRESIDENT / NEW YORK SOCIETY / SONS OF THE / REVOLUTION / 1884-1904 / -; to hos right, - / THE PVRCHASE / OF FRAVNCES TAVERN / HIS LAST OFFICIAL ACT / - / HIS WILL GENEROVSLY / PROVIDED MEANS / FOR PAYMENT / -; signed at left, V D Brenner

The reverse bears view of Fraunces Tavern. Around, HERE WASHINGTON BADE FAREWELL TO HIS OFFICERS 4 DECEMBER 1783 / · BECAME THE OWNER 29 JULY 1904 · ; on banner around top, HERE SONS OF THE REVOLUTION ORGANIZED 4 DECEMBER 1883; in exergue, FRAVNCES TAVERN / NEW · YORK

The circular medal measures 65.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

References:   Marqusee 71

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

This medal was the first issue of the prestigious Circle of Friends of the Medallion series in 1909. The obverse bears conjoined busts of Henry Hudson in ruff and Robert Fulton in nineteeth-century civil dress. Around, HENRY HUDSON * ROBERT FULTON; in right field, signed J F / (acanthus ornament) / MCMIX

The reverse bears Hudson River with Halve Maene and North River Steamboat sailing past modern skyline; nymph reclining on cloud holds glowing lightbulb. Above, dates MDCIX * MDCCCVII; below, MCMIX

The Hudson-Fulton celebration was a regionally significant event that left a multitude of coins, medals, posters and other memorabilia in its wake. It celebrated the 300th anniversary of Henry Hudson's discovery of the Hudson River and the 100th anniversary of Robert Fulton's first successful commercial application of the paddleboat steamer.

The medal measures 70mm in diameter and was struck by Davidson of Philadelphia.

References:   CoF 1, Marqusee 141