technology

The medal's obverse bears planet Earth with two oversized people on surface before spectacular sun and space-scape with satellite and swirling galaxy. IBM logo at top and bold 2000 across Earth. Around, THE NEW MILLENIUM / LOOKING BEYOND THE Y2K CHALLENGE

The reverse bears IBM logo over TWO THOUSAND THANKS / FOR MAKING Y2K / "THE NON-EVENT"

For the benfit of those who were too young in 2000. The Y2K crisis was probably the first global computer panic.  In the early days of the information economy computer memory and storage were really expensive and programmers had saved spaec by storing dates with two-digit years, for example "99" instead of "1999". They realized that this would cause problems in software that would misinterpret the year "00" as 1900 instead of 2000. 

For many years leading up to the year 2000, media were full of possible horror scenarios, including nuclear meltdowns, satellites and planes falling out of the sky, supply chains collapsing.  The large software companies and tens of thousands of contractors combed through old software to proactively deal with the problem. As the big date change arrived, the world held its breath... and nothing happened. 

We will probably never know how big an issue it would have been withiout all the work that was done and the money that was spent preparing.

The circular medal measures 76.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported but if it was handed to all IBM consultants working on Y2K problems it must be in the tens of thousands.

The medal's obverse bears desktop computer and globe over three fields depicting activity from beneath the ocean, space, and computer circuitry; fields with transparent enamel inlays in blue, olive, and red. Around, OPENING DOORS TO NEW FRONTIERS / 2001

The reverse bears month panels on small circular fields arranged in cruciform shape; in corners the digits of the year 2 0 0 1

As the brochure that accompanied the medal describes:

"The design depicts the impact of technology on global interpersonal communication and the environment. A deep relief sculpted earth and computer image are superimposed over an enameled background of the expanding frontiers to be explored - the sea, the universe and the door to both - technology."

The circular medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medalcraft Mint of Green Bay, Wisconsin. No mintage is reported.

References:   Cal MC-2001