Medals Related to New York City

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

References:   HSoNY 1911

References:   HSoNY 1912

This medal's obverse bears portrait of Avery facing left. Around, · PRESENTED · TO · SAMVEL · PVTNAM · AVERY · BY · HIS · FRIENDS · AND · THE · ARCHITECTS · OF · NEW · YORK; signed over shoulder at right, V D BRENNER / 1914

The reverse bears view of building facade framed by trees and shrubs. Above, THE AVERY LIBRARY; below, framed by two wreaths, · FOVNDED · BY · / · SAMVEL · PVTNAM · AVERY · / · AND · MARY · OGDEN · AVERY · / · 1890 · / · COMPLETED · BY · / · SAMVEL · PVTNAM · AVERY · / · THEIR · SON · / · 1912 ·

The edge is marked TIFFANY & CO. FINE SILVER

The Avery Library is named for Henry Ogden Avery, one of late nineteenth century New York's promising young architects and a friend of William Robert Ware, who founded the Department of Architecture at Columbia in 1881. A few weeks after Avery's premature death in 1890, his parents, Samuel Putnam Avery and Mary Ogden Avery, established the library as a memorial to their son. They offered 2,000 of his books, mostly in architecture, archaeology, and the decorative arts, many of his original drawings, funds to round out the book collection, and an endowment to assure the continuous growth of the library.

The medal measures 64mm in diameter and was struck in silver by Tiffany & Company of New York City.

References:   Baxter 141

This medal's obverse bears the seal of New York City. Around, · INTERNATIONAL ···· PHILATELIC · EXHIBITION · NEW · YORK · / MCMXIII; signed over roman year numerals, MAX BACHMANN.

The reverse bears a laurel branch at left. On right side, SOUVENIR / OF / OFFICIAL / BANQUET / OCTOBER 30TH / 1913; marked STERLING under branch.

Max Bachman also created the award medal for the Exhibition. It shares this medal's obverse but has a different legend on the reverse.

The circular medal measures 41mm in diameter and was struck in Sterling silver. No mintages are reprorted.

The plaquette bears seal of New Amsterdam and New Amsterdam with New Amsterdam harbor scene as background. Under seal, SEAL OF AMSTERDAM IN NEW NETHERLAND 1654; under harbor scene at right, THE WATER GATE / FOOT OF WALL STREET 1679; across bottom, HOLLAND SOCIETY / JANVARY · · · · · MCMXIII

The rectangular plaquette measures 82.8mm x 51mm and was struck in bronze by the Whitehead-Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey. No mintage is reported.

References:   HSoNY 1913

This medal's obverse bears the seal of New York City. Around, · INTERNATIONAL ···· PHILATELIC · EXHIBITION · NEW · YORK · / MCMXIII; signed over roman year numerals, MAX BACHMANN.

The reverse bears a palm frond at left. On right side, AWARDED / TO / (cartouche) / FOR / (cartouche) / MCMXIII

Max Bachman also created a souvenir medal for the Exhibition's official banquet which was held on October 30, 1913. It shares this medal's obverse but has a different legend on the reverse.

The circular medals measure 41mm in diameter. I have seen both a silver and a gold award medal from this event.  I assume that bronzes were struck as well but I do not know this for sure. No mintages are reprorted.