Medallic Art Collector's Selection - Medals

Bronze with seagreen patina

Description

This is the 55th official medal issued by the American Numismatic Society.

The obverse depicts Lady Liberty's serious face, radiant crown dominating upper half of medal. On lower right, 1886 / 1986.

The reverse bears torch with swirling flames. To right, in cursive, Liberty; around lower left, AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY; signed at lower right, E. DAUB

This heavy and striking medal was issued by the American Numismatic Society (ANS) in 1985 to commemorate the upcoming centennial of the Statue of Liberty. Eugene Daub created a beautiful ovoid medal that surprises in its design. While the Statue of Liberty is very much a vertical object, the oval medal is in landscape orientation. Daub then picks two of the statue's defining features, the head and the torch, to represent it on the two sides. On the obverse, the face looks sternly at the beholder, as if to remind him of his obligations. On the reverse, the flame of Liberty burns brightly, its promise spelled out on the side.

The silver medals are numbered in two styles. Originally, only 100 silver medals had been ordered and they were numbered XXX/100, for example 001/100. When demand for the silver medal proved strong, an additional 50 pieces were ordered and they are numbered just with their three digit number.

This medal is an ovoid measuring 100mm x 76mm and was struck by the Medallic Art Company. The mintage was 2 pieces in gold, 150 in silver and 500 in bronze.

References: ANS 55

Variant Details

This section contains a table of detailed variant information. Currently, I am only aware of 3 variants of this medal. Please notify me if you come across any others or if you find incorrect or missing information.

material	Bronze
patina	Bronze with seagreen patina
edge6	© ANS 1985
edge12	290/500
dimensions	100mm x 77mm
weight	403.3g
mintage	500 reported

material	Silver
edge6	MACO FINE SILVER © ANS 1985
edge12	056/100
dimensions	100mm x 77mm
weight	488.7g
mintage	150 reported

material	Gold
edge6
dimensions	100mm x 77mm
mintage	2 reported

Last modified: Jan 28, 2018 19:10

Description

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Charles Darwin, facing left.

The reverse bears giant tortoise.

Charles Darwin was the 119th issue in the prestigious Society of Medalists series. Moss was the first non-American sculptor to be admitted into the ranks of Society of Medalists medalists.

According to Moss, the creation of this medal began in 1982 and was inspired by the anniversary of Charles Darwin's voyage aboard HMS Beagle. Moss first crafted the Darwin portrait in clay with "an earthy fossil-like character, and then when I made a cast in plaster the relief took on a bony quality." She was fascinated by the Giant Tortoise and its relation to Darwin. Moss wanted her medal to portray the strength in both man and beast. The result was a bold contrast between a crude and unfinished-looking portrait and a polished tortoise on finished field.

The medal measures 55mm x 73mm and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of Danbury, Connecticut. The edition was limited to 2,500 pieces but the actual mintage is unknown.

References: MACo 1930-001-119, SoM 119

Medal Details

This section contains a table of detailed medal information. Currently, I am not aware of any variants of this medal. Please notify me if you come across any or if you find incorrect or missing information.

material	Bronze
patina	Golden bronze with tan patina
edge6	SOM #119-N-MOSS 2500 LTD ED.
dimensions	55mm x 73mm
mintage	unknown, 2500 authorized

Last modified: Oct 26, 2017 16:54

Description

The obverse bears apple tree with male and female bodies cleverly worked into trunk. Along bottom left and right, BROOKGREEN GARDENS - SOUTH CAROLINA; signed near top at right, Marika '88.

The reverse bears nude male, back turned on left half, nude female facing, holding apple across divide; entire side styled as apple cut in half.

This was the 17th of the prestigious Brookgreen Gardens member medals, issued in 1989.

The medal's edge is marked MACO CU.

The apple-shaped medal measures 82mm x 75mm and was struck in copper by the Medallic Art Company. No mintage is reported.

References: BG 17

Medal Details

This section contains a table of detailed medal information. Currently, I am not aware of any variants of this medal. Please notify me if you come across any or if you find incorrect or missing information.

material	Bronze
edge6	MACO CU.
diameter	76mm
mintage	unknown

Last modified: Oct 26, 2017 15:59

Description

This medal was chosen as the 121st issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1990. The obverse bears a rugged, bearded face left, in high relief, merging with swirls of flame.

The reverse bears a craggy bearded visage dripping with ice.

Daub explained his intent in the accompanying message "From the Artist":

"Joy - Suffering, Hot - Cold... everything in life is held in balance between extremes. Opposites! These powerful forces go back and forth in cycles. The medal is the ideal medium for this theme because of the two opposing sides of the medal."

The medal is struck in copper, giving the "Fire" side a natural flame color. The "Ice" side is silver-plated, giving it a cold, frozen look, particularly when contrasted with the obverse. Did the message inspire the medal or vice versa? Regardless, Daub did a wonderful job in using two metals to enhance the message.

This medal is an irregular oval measuring 74mm x 64mm and was produced by the Medallic Art Company. Production was not reported but the edition was limited to 2,500 pieces.

References: SoM 121

Medal Details

This section contains a table of detailed medal information. Currently, I am not aware of any variants of this medal. Please notify me if you come across any or if you find incorrect or missing information.

material	Copper and silver-plated copper
edge6
dimensions	74mm x 64mm
mintage	unknown, 2500 authorized

Last modified: Oct 26, 2017 16:54

Description

The obverse bears faun playing flute for nymphs. Above, BROOKGREEN GARDENS; below, SOUTH CAROLINA

The reverse bears Pygmalion and Galatea before stylized clouds. Signed at bottom right.

This was the 21st of the prestigious Brookgreen Gardens member medals, issued in 1993.

The circular medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company. No mintage is reported.

References: BG 21

Medal Details

This section contains a table of detailed medal information. Currently, I am not aware of any variants of this medal. Please notify me if you come across any or if you find incorrect or missing information.

material	Bronze
edge6	© 1992 MEDALLIC ART CO. - SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - BRONZE
diameter	76mm
weight	277.7g
mintage	unknown

Last modified: Dec 21, 2017 15:33

Description

The obverse bears flying figure, with stretched out arms strapped to stylized wings, trailing shock waves as in illustrations of supersonic flight; stylized sun at left. Across bottom, MILLENIUM / 2000; signed at bottom, KAREN WORTH © 2000

The reverse bears male, female, child and baby set into elliptical electron orbits of nuclear model. Background covered by incuse legend consisting of language names followed by that language's word for 2,000.

The edge is marked at 6:00, CRECO IND. DANBURY CT

The figure on the obverse might well be a jet-age Icarus who is about to have his wings stripped by pushing through the sound barrier.

The medal measures 75.6mm in diameter and is struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

Medal Details

This section contains a table of detailed medal information. Currently, I am not aware of any variants of this medal. Please notify me if you come across any or if you find incorrect or missing information.

material	Bronze
edge6	CRECO IND. DANBURY CT.
diameter	75.6mm
weight	240.6g
mintage	unknown

Last modified: Oct 26, 2017 16:38

Description

The medal's obverse bears head of female black slave in front of rice fields. Signed above shoulder on right side, (HRL monogram)

The reverse bears female slave working rice fields of plantation, cow with ploughman in background. Above, BROOKGREEN GARDENS; below, SOUTH CAROLINA

This was the 32nd of the prestigious Brookgreen Gardens member medals, issued in 2004.

The medal measures 76.3mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company. No mintage is repoorted.

References: BG 32

Medal Details

This section contains a table of detailed medal information. Currently, I am not aware of any variants of this medal. Please notify me if you come across any or if you find incorrect or missing information.

material	Bronze
edge6	(C) 2004 MEDALLIC ART CO. DAYTON NV.-BRONZE
diameter	76.3mm
weight	176.6g
mintage	unknown

Last modified: Dec 21, 2017 15:33

Silver-plated bronze

Description

The obverse bears oyster shell extending beyond round medal's edges. Above, BROOKGREEN / GARDENS; below, SOUTH CAROLINA

The reverse bears small rendering of Anna Hyatt Huntington's iconic Fighting Stallions in hollow of opened shell. Above, 75th YEAR; below, 1931 - 2006

This was the 34th of the prestigious Brookgreen Gardens member medals, issued in 2006.

I was not aware that the Brookgreen medals came in variants until I acquired the copper variant at auction from the collection of Don Young. The copper variant is much rarer than the silver-plated variant, in fact I have only seen it once.

The irregularly circular medal measures 83mm x 76mm and was struck by the Medallic Art Company. No mintage is reported.

References: BG 34

Variant Details

This section contains a table of detailed variant information. Currently, I am only aware of 2 variants of this medal. Please notify me if you come across any others or if you find incorrect or missing information.

material	Silver-plated bronze
edge6	MACO - BRONZE .999 SILVER-PLATED
dimensions	83mm x 76mm
weight	448.2g
mintage	unknown

material	Copper-toned bronze
edge6
dimensions	83mm x 76mm
mintage	unknown

Last modified: Dec 21, 2017 15:34

Description

The reverse bears image of horseshoe crab. Around, BROOKGREEN GARDENS - SOUTH CAROLINA

This was the 36th of the prestigious Brookgreen Gardens member medals, issued in 2008.

The circular medal measures 76.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company. No mintage is reported.

References: BG 36

Medal Details

This section contains a table of detailed medal information. Currently, I am not aware of any variants of this medal. Please notify me if you come across any or if you find incorrect or missing information.

material	Bronze
edge6	(C) 2008 MEDALLIC ART CO. DAYTON NV.-BRONZE
diameter	76.4mm
weight	299.7g
mintage	unknown

Last modified: Dec 21, 2017 15:35

Description

The obverse bears a classic Diana with raised bow, in relaxed pose of just released arrow. Below, BROOKGREEN GARDENS - SOUTH CAROLINA; signed at left edge, in script, S. Eylanbekov Sc

The reverse bears rectangular map of original park layout. Across top, THE ORIGINAL LAYOUT OF THE SCULPTURE GARDEN / BY ANNA HYATT HUNTINGTON 1932; below, BROOKGREEN GARDENS SOUTH CAROLINA

This was the 40th of the prestigious Brookgreen Gardens member medals, issued in 2012.

The circular medal measures 76.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

References: BG 40

Medal Details

This section contains a table of detailed medal information. Currently, I am not aware of any variants of this medal. Please notify me if you come across any or if you find incorrect or missing information.

material	Bronze
patina	Bronze with dark brown highlights
edge6
diameter	76.2mm
weight	230.4g
mintage	unknown

Last modified: Dec 21, 2017 15:13