The obverse bears an elegant beauty, one hand toying with string of pearls; above, APHRODITE; in lower right, MCM (circled JF monogram) XXXII.
The reverse bears a relay runner passing the torch to another. In upper left, SWIFT RUN- / NERS; in exergue, JF © Sc.
Flanagan's career had peaked at this point and he reused older works for his medal. The obverse is based on a 1904 marble medallion which graced August Belmont's Knickerbocker Hotel in Manhattan. The reverse was originally created for a clock that was installed in the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress in 1902.
This medal was chosen as the 6th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. It measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 1,494 pieces in bronze and 125 in silver. The bronzes exist in many patina variants and even the silvers exist in two variants: one from the original silver run in the 1970's and one from a telemarketing promotion in 1993.
References: Baxter 163, MACo 1930-001-006, Marqusee 155, SoM 6