All Medals

The uniface medal bears bust of Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden, left. Around top, FERDINAND·VANDEVEER·HAYDEN; under truncation, M·D·C·C·C·LXXXVIII; signed and dated at bottom with (JF monogram ) / MC - MVI

This medal was awarded by the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences for recognition of the best publication, exploration, discovery or research in the natural sciences of geology and paleontology. Established in 1888, the bronze medal was accompanied by a cash award of $300 and was awarded every three years.

References:   Marqusee 145

The uniface plaquette bears portrait of Horatio R. Storer, facing left. Below, TO THE MASTER IN SVRGERY / MEDICAL NVMISMATIST / AND LOVER OF MAN AND NATVRE / HORATIO R · STORER · MD · LLD / FROM HIS FRIEND R · TAIT McKENZIE · MD · 1913

Horatio Robinson Storer (February 27, 1830– September 18, 1922) was a physician, numismatist and anti-abortion activist.

Storer was born in Boston, Massachusetts and attended the Boston Latin School, Harvard College, and the Boston (Harvard) Medical School. After obtaining his M.D. in 1853 he traveled to Europe and spent a year studying with James Young Simpson at Edinburgh. He began medical practice in Boston in 1855 with emphasis on obstetrics and gynecology.

In 1857 he started the "physicians' crusade against abortion" both in Massachusetts and nationally, when he persuaded the American Medical Association to form a Committee on Criminal Abortion.

After his retirement from practice in 1872, he became an authority on, and a notable collector of, medallions of medical interest.  He is also the grandfather of Malcolm Storer, the famous numismatic author.

References:   Marqusee 263

References:   BG 14

The galvano bears two cornucopias above open scroll flanked by female figures standing on winged spheres; figure at left bearing caduceus, figure at right burning torch; at bottom, two dolphins. On scroll, To commemorate / the visit of / President elect / EPITACIO / PESSOA / of BRAZIL / to the / UNITED STATES / of AMERICA / 1919

This was a design for the reverse of a medal commemorating the visit to the United States in 1919 of Dr. Epitacio M. Pessoa, president-elect of Brazil. Dr. Pessoa had been the Brazilian representative at the armistice negotiations in Versailles and on his return he visited the United States. He arrived in New York City, then traveled to Boston and Washington, D.C., where he made ceremonial appearances meant to solidify relations between Brazil and the United States.

It is fascinating to contrast this design with the one on the finished medallion:  the flanking figures change sex and orientation, they carry different props, a ship is added at the bottom, and the lettering changes.

The galvano measures 79.8mm in diameter.

The medal's obverse bears male and female nudes stretching towards the sky, winged Pegasus rearing at left. Below, signature G. CECERE / © 1933.

The reverse bears twin peaks with a small tree growing at their feet with stars above. Above, concentric two-line legend, THERE IS NO EASY WAY FROM THE / EARTH TO THE STARS.

It was created in the middle of the Great Depression and, in Cecere's own words, symbolizes

"the age-old inner urge of a large portion of humanity - its never-ceasing struggle to free from the bondage of the sordid and material, its aspiration toward a higher place of existence."

He dedicated his medal to "those who are fighting adversities while maintaining a vision of a higher goal."

This medal was chosen as the eighth issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. It measures 73mm in diameter and had a reported production of 1,287 in bronze and 125 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-008, Marqusee 107, SoM 8

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Vail, facing. Around, on raised rim, THEODORE NEWTON VAIL / HE MADE NEIGHBORS OF HVNDRED MILLION PEOPLE; signed, barely visibly, over right shoulder, LUINI

The reverse bears old-fashioned phone receivers connected by wires on raised rim. In center field, PRESENTED · BY · THE / AMERICAN · TELEPHONE · AND / TELEGRAPH · CO · TO · THE · TELEPHONE / PIONEERS · OF · AMERICA · AS · A / MEMORIAL · TO · HIM · WHOSE · LIFE / CHARACTER · AND · INDUSTRY · WERE / AN · INSPIRATION · TO · THE / MEMBERS · OF · THAT · SOCIETY / MONTREAL (oak leaves) CANADA / SEPTEMBER · 10 · 1920

This is the first version of the Theodore Newton Vail medal. It was delineated by Harry Bates Thayer, company president, honoring famed American telephone pioneer and company founder Theodore Newton Vail.  The medal was only issued for the four years between 1917 and 1920.  Adolph A. Weinman designed and modeled the later version of the medal that was used from 1922 onwards.

The circular medal measures 76.6mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by Tiffany & Co. of New York. No mintage is reported. The medal probably exists in at least silver, probably even a few pieces in gold, but I have not seen any evidence of those variants.

References:   ANS 3

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Albert Ehlebert Ebert, quarter left; laurel wreath around bottom. Around top, ALBERT ETHELBERT EBERT; across, 1840 - 1906

The reverse bears wreath partially showing through gaps in inscription field. Around, AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION - ORGANIZED 1857 INCORPORATED 1888; across, EBERT PRIZE / AWARDED TO / (engraved) LESTER F. HOYT / 1926

Albert Ethelbert Ebert (1840-1906) was born in Bavaria but came to the U.S. as a one year old. His family settled in Chicago. He apprenticed with the pharmacists to learn not just the selling of ready-made remedies but also the German-style compounding. He studied Pharmacology first in Chicago, then In Philadelphia and finally in Munich, where he also studied Chemistry. He represented the American Pharmaceutical Association at conferences abroad and established the Ebert Prize in 1873. The Ebert Prize, the oldest pharmacy award in the U.S., is awarded for the best essay or communication containing original investigation of a medical substance in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Lester F. Hoyt and J. A. Handy won the award in 1926 for their study of "Diethylphtalate"

The circular medal measures 76mm in diameter. Neither maker nor mintage are reported.

The medal's obverse bears figure of Issachar carrying a bowl full of fruit, a donkey laden with sacks nibbling on a tree shoot in background to his right; sun to his left. At top, ISSACHAR; signed in exergue, © 1970 - E. WEISTROP

The reverse bears Star of David, symbols and names from all twelve medals. In center, THE / TWELVE / TRIBES OF / ISRAEL

Issachar was the ninth son of Jacob, the fifth son he had with Leah. Said Jacob:

"Issachar will take upon himself the burden and the study of the Torah and all the other tribes will come to him and ask him to decide their doubts on legal questions."

Jacob also gave him the blessing that the fruits of his land would be exceedingly large.

This is the ninth medal in Elizabeth Weistrop's Twelve Tribes of Israel series. The circular medal measures 43mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintages are reported.

References:   MACo 1969-100-009, TToI 9