All Medals

The medal's obverse bears Berghoff's logo in center. Across, Berghoff / 18 - 87 / BEER

The reverse bears view of brewery. In exergue, BERGHOFF BREWING CORPORATION / 1025 GRANT AVENUE / FORT WAYNE, INDIANA

The Berghoff Brewing Corporation was founded in 1887 by Hermann Berghoff and his three brothers, Henry, Hubert, and Gustav. Within just three years they ramped up production from 12,000 barrels to 90,000 barrels per year. Their lager beer was known by its slogan "A Real German Brew" and received high acclaim at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. With World War I and the accompanying wide-spread anti-German sentiment, the company changed its slogan to "A Real Honest Brew."  By the 1950s the company's sales were flat and the brewery was in desperate need of modernization to stay competitive. In 1954 the family decided to sell everything but the brand name to the Falstaff Brewing Company of St. Louis. The brand name was sold separately to the Walter Brewing Company of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  Walter still brews and sells beer under the Berghoff name today.

Rene Chambellan seems to have had a very good working relationship with brewing companies.  In addition to this medal, he designed commemorative medals for the Schaefer and Pabst companies.

The medal measures 69.6mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1937-001

The obverse bears muscular men raising a fluted pillar. Above, THERE WILL BE OTHER TOWERS; in exergue, (circled 19) FOR THEE TO / BUILD (circled 40); above ground line at left, © HANCOCK

The reverse bears a shattered oak stump with two hardy well-leafed shoots; sun behind.

Hancock designed this optimistic medal when the second World War was still young. His message was that renewal and creation will surely follow death and destruction. As he wrote in his message "From the Artist":

"As the earth renews itself after the ruin of storm, so man must rebuild his towers -material and spiritual- after the wreck of war."

This medal was chosen as the 22nd issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1940. It measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its reported production quantity is 894 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-022, Marqusee 199, SoM 22

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Edwin Forrest, facing left. Signed at bottom, A.W. JONES DEL. F.B. SMITH & HARTMANN N.Y. FECIT.

The reverse holds wreath with ribbon bearing the famous actor's roles wrapped around it. In center field, BORN IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PA / . / MARCH 9TH 1806. / JUST TO / OPPOSERS / AND TO FRIENDS / SINCERE; dies signed at bottom, F.B.S. & H. N.Y.

Edwin Forest (1806-1872) was a celebrated American actor.  He was perhaps the first native American to rise to the top-tier of Shakespear performers and his rivalry with British Shakespear actor William Charles Macready was legendary. 

While most actors' rivalries don't result in casualties, Forrest and Macready's rivalry played out in a setting of Ameircan nativist fervor and the so-called Astor Place Riot was the consequence. Foreigners, and particularly the British, were deeply unpopular in America in the 1840's.  Nevertheless, most actors in serious roles were British, which often made them the lightning rod for popular anger. With this as the backdrop, the rivalry between the two leading men, one British, one American, gained a new dimension.  

On May 7, 1849, three nights before the riot, Forrest's supporters bought hundreds of tickets to the top level of the Astor Opera House, and brought Macready's performance of Macbeth to a grinding halt by throwing at the stage rotten eggs, potatoes, apples, lemons, shoes, bottles of stinking liquid, and ripped up seats. The performers persisted in the face of hissing, groans, and cries of "Shame, shame!" and "Down with the codfish aristocracy!", but were forced to perform in pantomime, as they could not make themselves heard over the crowd. Meanwhile, at Forrest's May 7 performance, the audience rose and cheered when Forrest spoke Macbeth's line "What rhubarb, senna or what purgative drug will scour these English hence?"

Macready wanted to leave after this disasterous performance but upper-class, educated Americans persuaded him to stay and perform once more, so on May 10, Macready once again took the stage as Macbeth. Police felt unable to control the crowds and called in the National Guard ahead of time.  Tamany Hall on the other side prepared by agitating for action.  During and after the performance a rioting crowd of around 10,000 faced police and military. Finally several volleys were fired into the crowd at point-blank range, resulting in over 25 dead and more than 120 injured.

The circular medal measures 77mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by F. B. Smith & Hartmann of New York City. Stack's & Bowers states that this medal is very rare but no exact mintage is reported.

The obverse bears portraits of the seven archbishops who presided over the Diocese of New York during its first century. Archbishop Farley in the center.

The reverse displays a view of St. Patrick's Cathedral in he center; at sides, partial representations if St. Peter's Church of 1808 on Barclay Street and St. Patrick's Church on Mott Street. consecrated in 1815. Four coats of arms entwined in a wreat at the sides.

Edge contains maker's mark, MED. ART CO & (D within diamond);

This medal was issued by both the American Numismatic Society (ANS) and the Catholic Diocese of New York. Only medals which bear edge numbers were issued by the ANS. One medal in gold was presented to Pope Pius X. Silver and bronze medals with the edge number 1 were presented to Archbishop Farley and 100 medals each in silver and bronze (numbered 2-101) were for ANS members. There is an unknown number of silver and bronze medals struck without numbers for the Diocese.

This medal was the 21st official issue of the American Numismatic Society.

The medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 1 piece in gold, and 101 each in bronze and silver.

References:   ANS 21, Baxter 299, MACo 1908-002

The medal's obverse bears bare-chested Simeon, facing, sun to his left, building and palm trees to his right.At upper left, SIMEON; 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

Simeon, Jacob's second son, along with his brother Levi, slew the prince of Shechem and destroyed the city in revenge for their sister Dinah's rape or seduction (apparently sources and interpretations differ). They sold their brother Joseph into slavery. As the notes in the collectors edition box quote:

"The descenants of Simeon will many of them be poor men who will wander from tribe to tribe and beg for bread."

This is the second 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 1969-100-010, TToI 2

The obverse bears profile of Roosevelt, facing left. Around, in two lines, · FRANKLIN · DELANO · ROOSEVELT · - · 31ST · PRESIDENT · OF · THE · UNITED · STATES / · 1933 · · 1937 · - · JOHN · NANCE · GARNER · VICE · PRESIDENT; signed under truncation, PMANSHIP ©

The reverse bears U.S.S. Constitution heading left above winged female in flight, surrounded by beaded border. Around, : THOU · TOO · SAIL · ON · O · SHIP · OF · STATE : SAIL · ON · O · UNION · STRONG · AND · GREAT

Roosevelt's profile is modeled in such high relief that it took 12 strikes from the great presses at the Mint to render the finer details. Roosevelt himself apparently suggested the "Old Ironsides" motif for the reverse. Manship placed the winged female figure underneath to represent the modern day "Ship of State."

I do not have many U.S. Mint medals in my collection, but this one is really quite handsome. According to Joe Levine, many collectors believe this to be the handsomest of all bronze inauguration medals.

The medal measures 76.2mm (2 5/8in) in diameter and 4mm in thickness and was struck in bronze by the U.S. Mint. The mintage was 1,500. There are two much rarer variants of this medal that were struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The dies were actually produced there and MACo struck 50 pieces on its own presses using a 5.24mm thick planchet. Unfortunately, MACo could not match the Mint's quote of 85¢ per piece and had to send the dies to Philadelphia for production of the complete run. Of the 50 pieces struck by MACo one is reported to have been gold-plated, all others have a dark brown patina.

Many thanks to Joe Levine for additional information and to a collector who wishes to remain anonymous for sending me pictures of the Medallic Art variant.

References:   Marqusee 254, Murtha 332

References:   MACo 1965-043

References:   BG 16

The obverse bears angel of peace (or victory) in center, U.S. infantrymen to left, navy gunner to right. Signed at lower right, S.

The reverse bears heraldic symbols of the victorios Entente nations above Gridiron Club symbol. Below, THIRTY - FOURTH / ANNUAL PEACE DINNER / THE GRIDIRON CLUB / WASHINGTON D.C. / DEC. 13. 1919.

The Gridiron Club, founded in 1885, is the oldest journalistic organization in Washington, D.C. The club is best known for its annual dinner which traditionally features the United States Marine Band, along with satirical musical skits by the members and remarks by the President of the United States and representatives of each political party. The skits and speeches by various politicians are expected to be self-deprecating or otherwise sharply comedic. Since its inception, every President except Grover Cleveland has spoken at the dinner.

The thirtyfourth annual dinner held on December 13, 1919 was called the "Peace Dinner" to celebrate the end of World War I and the beginning of a long lasting peace after "the war to end all wars" had come to an end. Woodrow Wilson used his speech to thank the nation for its efforts and to chart out the future of international relations.

The medal measures 70mm in diameter and was struck by the U.S. Mint.