All Medals

The medal's obverse bears a black-crowned night heron shown from behind, its head turned to the right, perching on a slender branch; concave circle behind bird's head is suggestive of the moon.

The reverse depicts a perching bird, a leafed branch overhead, looking downward to the left with its wings lifted about to fly. Across, Brookgreen / Gardens / SOUTH / CAROLINA; signed at bottom right, HW

Heidi Wastweet enjoyed Brookgreen Gardens' Artist-in-Residence program in 2015 and sketched the native herons during visits to the Cypress Aviary of the Lowcountry Zoo.

Heidi Wastweet won the American Medallic Sculpture Association's American Medal of the Year Award 2018 for this design. It took three rounds of voting before her medal beat out over 40 other designs that had been submitted. 

The almost square medal measures 75.8mm x 76.3mm and was struck in bronze. The mintage is reported to be around 1,000 pieces.

References:   BG 45

The obverse bears herm-type male bust facing upward against massive stylized wings. Around, ALL - PASSES ART ALONE ENDURING STAYS TO US; in lower left field, THE BUST / OUTLASTS / THE / THRONE; in exergue, THE COIN TIBERIUS; at left, incuse, R.H.RECCHIA / ©

The reverse bears nude youth leaping with outstretched arms into starry sky; hills clouds, and rays in background. Around, TOO LOW THEY BUILD WHO - BUILD BENEATH THE STARS

This medal is one of the two war-time SOM medals that were originally struck in silver because copper was largely dedicated to war needs. Apparently, 57 50mm-diameter pieces were struck in bronze but even long-time collectors have not seen any. Some were later struck in the 1970's.

Recchia drew his own inspiration for this medal from poetry, namely Austin Dobson's "Ars Victrix' for the quotes on the obverse and Edward Young's "Night Thoughts" on the reverse. Recchia wrote in the brochure accompanying the medal:

"The bust ... shows the man's mind stretching upwards, to and beyond the flight of the wings of imagination and passing time and depicting man's dreams of seeking higher realms of inspiration."

Recchia's combined message was devoid of war-time propaganda and very humanistic at its core. Or maybe the very fact that it was so humanistic made it a very effective war-time message for an audience that was fighting for the survival of western civilization.

On a personal note, this is the medal that inspired me to become a medal collector when I first saw it on display at the Yale University Art Gallery. To this day, it remains one of my favorite art medals.

This medal was chosen as the 29th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1944. It was first produced in 50mm and was struck in silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York. OVerall, the reported production quantity of this medal is 891 small-diameter silver, 57 small-diameter bronze, 150 large-diameter bronze, and 100 large-diameter silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-029, Marqusee 329, SoM 29

The medal's obverse bears female figure holding stylized caduceus in one hand, other held high, pointing to the right; symbols of industry and agriculture including steam train, telegraph wires, factories, corn cobs in background and at figure's feet. Around, TRANS-MISSISSIPPI AND INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION. / OMAHA; below, U.S.A / 1898

The medal's reverse bears wreath fashioned from two branches.  Below, S.D. CHILDS & CO. ENGRAVERS. CHICAGO.

The circular medal was struck by S. D. Childs & Co. of Chicago.

The uniface medallion bears portrait of Henry L. Stimson, facing left. To his right, (CA) for the Century Association; on banner around bottom, HENRY · L · STIMSON; signed and dated under truncation, MANSHIP / 1950

Henry Lewis Stimson (1867-1950) was an American statesman, lawyer and Republican Party politician. Over his long career, he emerged as a leading figure in the foreign policy of the United States, serving in Republican and Democratic administrations. He served as Secretary of War (1911-1913) under William Howard Taft, Secretary of State (1929-1933) under Herbert Hoover, and Secretary of War (1940-1945) under Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. Stimson served as the Century Association's president from 1937 to 1939.

A galvano of Paul Manship's medallion was used as the model for the Henry L. Stimson medal, which is presented annually to outstanding Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Southern District and in the Eastern District of New York.

The medallion measures around 100mm in diameter and was cast in bronze. It is not known how many medallions were cast.

References:   Murtha 512

The obverse bears bust of shepherd dog facing right. Over nose on right, FOUNDED / 1913; around, SHEPHERD-DOG-CLUB / OF-AMERICA; signed over shoulder at right, KILENYI.

The reverse bears idyllic image of sheep pasture with guarding shepherd dog at left and sun on horizon.

The edge is marked MEDALLIC ART CO. N.Y. BRONZE.

The German Shepherd Dog Club of America was founded in 1913 and incorporated in 1916 by Anne Tracy, Margaret C. Throop, Edith May Schley, Vemon Castle, John Volkman, Paul Huhn, & B.R. Ruggles. Like all breed-specific clubs, its mission was to define the breed, participate in shows, and interest the public.

The medal measures 50mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1925-040-01

This medal's obverse bears modernized head of Arethusa, wearing winged and eagle-headed helmet with motto I WILL, facing left. Around, C · C · C · 50TH · ANNIVERSARY - 1919 1969; signed under truncation, © T · A · ROVELSTAD · 1968

The reverse bears the six Winter Hexagon stars and Betelgeuse in the middle. Around edge, CHICAGO · COIN · CLUB / DOCENDO DISCIMUS; inside stars, conjoined CCC logo surrounded by ORGANIZED 1919 · / INCORPORATED 1938; signed with (TR monogram)

The 50th anniversary of the Chicago Coin Club was celebrated January 8, 1969 with a banquet at Harding's Restaurant. The 77 in attendance had only one regret - that the bad weather kept many away. Trygve Rovelstad had been asked to create the corresponding anniversary medal and picked the head of his proposed Arethusa statue for the design. The medal's reverse was designed to be usable for future Club medals. Apparently, a quantity of nickel-silver and silver uniface medals were struck to have a cache of engravable medals on hand.

This is a very handsome medal and definitely one of the nicest Coin Club issues of modern times. Too many coin clubs issue medals with relatively boring busts of club presidents whereas this design is truly worthy of being immortalized on a medal.

The circular medal measures 57mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 182 pieces in bronze and 113 pieces in silver. The bronze medals originally cost $5 and the the silver medals $20 and were sold to members only.

References:   MACo 1968-136

References:   MACo 1930-001-052, SoM 52

The medal's obverse bears view of Pharos of Alexandria with its entrance guarded by two giant statues and a sailing vessel behind.

The reverse bears three calendar panels ornamented with sea shells and flanked by mermaids. At top of middle panel, 2000

The Pharos of Alexandria was named after the Nile delta island on which it was located, "Pharao's Island." It was a lighthouse that used a giant fire at night and bronze mirrors by day to signal the location of the entry to the Nile river. It is estimated that the signal was visible across a distance of 34 to 300 miles!

This is the third medal in a little calendar medal sub-series about the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World.

The circular medal measures 76.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of Dayton, Nevada. No mintages are reported. The medals were originally available for $34.95 per bronze and $169 per silver piece.

References:   Cal MA-2000

The medal's obverse bears conjoined busts of astronaut and pioneer facing right, globe with orbiting satellite and space capsule, and Conestoga wagon with oxen and drivers. Above, REINSURANCE; at bottom, PIONEERS OF THE PAST AND OF THE FUTURE

The reverse bears ERC initials on a diagonal, flanked by 1914 and 1964. Around top, EMPLOYERS REINSURANCE CORPORATION; at bottom, OUR 50TH YEAR

The Employers Reinsurance Corporation was a Kansas-based reinsurance company that was first acquired by GE Capital and in 2005 by Swiss Re.

The circular medal measures 76.5mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. Neither maker, nor artist or mintage are known and any information would be highly welcome.

The plaquette bears a winged female figure standing on globe, carrying book in one hand and scroll in outstretched other; flanking her are two pedestals carrying oil lamps of learning and BHS monogram in wreath. In exergue, THE CHARLES E. FRENCH / MEDAL

This plaquette is somewhat enigmatic. It is clearly well executed but not signed. Storer reports two medals (#824 and #1145) that could match, and the one awarded to the three highest ranking seniors in the five graduating classes of Braintree High School matches best with the monogram in the pedestals.

The plaquette measures 99mm x 64.5mm and was struck in sterling silver. No mintage is reported.