Apollo

This medal's obverse depicts Truth guiding Apollo's chariot. At top, LVX ET / VERITAS; signed at bottom, B L PRATT

The reverse bears five lines of inscription flanked by burning torches, VNIVERSITAS YALENSIS / A D MDCCCCI / CONCELEBRAT / COLLEGIVM YALENSE / A D MDCCI CONDITVM

The edge is hallmarked TIFFANY & CO

Bela Lyon Pratt was himself a graduate of Yale and was commissioned in 1899 by Professors Weir and Niemeyer to design this medal for the upcoming 200th anniversary of Yale College. The medal was struck in silver and bronze. One of the silver medals was given to President Theodore Roosevelt and one of the bronze medals was taken into space by Astronaut Joseph B. Allen.

This is a beautiful medal with a very appropriate design for one of great universities of the world.

The circular medal measures 70mm in diameter and was produced by Tiffany & Company of New York. It was struck in bronze and silver in unknown mintages.

References:   Baxter 217, Marqusee 325

The medal's obverse bears bust of young laurel-crowned Apollo, facing right, within beaded border. Signed at lower right (AAW monogram).

The reverse bears oil lamp with three flames and light rays within beaded border and raised rim. Below, NATIONAL·INSTITUTE· / ·OF·ARTS·AND · / · LETTERS ·

The medal is inscribed to Charles McLean Andrews on the edge.

Charles McLean Andrews (1863-1943) was born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, where his father was a minister in the Catholic Apostolic Church. He studied first at Trinity and then at Johns Hopkins, where he received his Ph.D. in 1889. After teaching stints at Bryn Mawr and Johns Hopkins he finished his career at Yale, where he taught American history from 1910 until his retirement in 1931.

Honored with many memberships and fellowships for his historical publications‒he published 102 major scholarly articles and books as well as over 360 book reviews, newspaper articles and short items‒he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1935 and this medal in 1937. The National Institute of Arts and Letters' Gold Medal is only awarded once a decade and easily one of the most coveted prizes in the humanities.

The circular medal measures 57.6mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and gold-plated bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintages are reported but the awarded medal should be an exceedingly rare specimen!

Many thanks to the Yale University Art Gallery's Numismatics department for its generosity and assistance in making this beautiful medal available to me for research.

References:   Baxter 176, MACo 1909-007

The medal's obverse bears nude male figure raising his arms towards massive sun dominating the upper half of the medal. In sun's disk, APOLLONIAN

The reverse bears nude Dionysus dancing with grapes and tankard, streamer with DIONYSIAN curling around. Signed and dated by artist, (MHD monogram) / 1976 ©

The circular medal measures 64.3mm in diameter and was struck in bronze bt Art Medals, Inc. No mintage is reported.

References:   BG 6