The John E. Marqusee Collection

The obverse bears five seated female figures representing the five burroughs, the names of each burrough beneath them. Behind figures, within ornamented pediment supported by two columns, inscription, NEW YORK / JANUARY 1 / MDCCCXCVIII; view of New York harbor in background; seal of Society at bottom. Around, COMMEMORATING THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE MUNICIPALITIES ABOUT THE PORT OF NEW YORK

The reverse bears four vignettes divided by the four arms of a Dutch windmill. Starting on left, in counter-clockwise direction, the vignettes depict Peter Minuit purchasing Manhattan Island from the Indians, Henry Hudson's Halve Maene, the Dutch evacuating Fort Amsterdam, a Contiental Army officer reading the Declaration of Independence. Around, (tulip) MAY 4 1626 (scallop shell) SEPT. 2 1609 (crown) SEPT. 8 1664 / JULY 9 1776 (eagle)

This is the 13th medal issued by the American Numismatic Society.

The medal measures 64mm in diameter. Designed by Edward Hall and modeled and struck by Tiffany & Company, the reported mintage for this medal is 1 piece in gold, and unknown numbers in silver and bronze. I own a piece that—at least according to PCGS—seems to be struck in copper and is not documented in the great Miller book on the ANS medal series.

References:   ANS 13, Marqusee 197

References:   MACo 1926-016, Marqusee 198

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

References:   ANS 31, Baxter 316, MACo 1917-012, Marqusee 201

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Abraham Lincoln, facing right. To his left, torch. At left, 1809 / 1865; around right, LINCOLN. Signed under torch at left, © DOUGLAS VOLK / DEL. / CHAS. L. HINTON · / Sc.

The reverse bears oak wreath around center field. At top of center field, LINCOLN / · ESSAY · MEDAL ·  / · AWARDED · TO ·

Douglas Volk created a Lincoln portrait that shows him gaunt, almost skeletally thin, a sad resolve readiating from his expression. Hinton translated the design into a beautiful medal.

This medal is cataloged as King 892.  A variant with a date of February 12, 1924 exists and is cataloged as King 891.

The circular medal was struck in bronze by the Whitehead & Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey. No mintage is reported.

References:   Marqusee 203

The medal's obverse bears portrait of young Lindbergh, slight right, before sea and sky, sun setting at left. Around upper right, C * LINDBERGH *; across, NEW · YORK - · TO PARIS · IN · / · 33½ HOURS · / MAY 20 · 21 / · 1927 · ; signed above left shoulder, © H

The reverse bears airplane over sea and setting sun, flanked by wings emanating from shell at bottom center. Around top, · · NEW · YORK · TO · PARIS · ; at bottom, · · · c 1927 H · ·

This is one of the more beautiful Lindbergh commemorative medals.  Hinton shows his soft touch in a portrait that reflects both youth and boundless optimism.

The medal measures 70mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver. No mintages are reported though I have only encountered the small bronze and the silver medal once, so they appear to be rarer than the large bronze.

References:   MACo 1932-014, Marqusee 205

The obverse bears portrait of Joan of Arc in armor facing left, holding sword hilt up like a cross, face raised in prayer or contemplation. Around, :: HOMAGE ::+:: TO :+: THE :+: MAID :+: OF :+: FRANCE ::; signed at bottom, A - H

The reverse displays gothic banner of Joan of Arc with other pennants fluttering behind. Around, JOAN OF ARC PARK DEDICATED JANUARY 6, 1919.

This medal was the 39th issue of the American Numismatic Society. Miss Hyatt was chosen by the ANS to execte this beautiful and sensitive medal because she had created the distinctive statue of Joan of Arc on Riverside Drive, overlooking the Hudson River. The Vatican canonized Joan of Arc in the same year, therefore the medal was doubly appropriate and not just representative of the park dedication ceremony.

The medal measures 65mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 1 piece in gold, 74 pieces in silver, 119 pieces in bronze and 1 piece in lead.

Many thanks to the Numismatic Department of the Yale University Art Gallery for their generosity and assistance in making the silver variant of this medal available for research.

References:   ANS 39, MACo 1918-008, Marqusee 206

The obverse bears elephant feeding on sapling gripped in its trunk. To right, AFRICA

The reverse bears water hole with zebras and warthog drinking, gnu walking away at right. Above, WATER HOLE; at lower right, A.H.H. ©

Huntington had already achieved fame for her equestrian and animal sculptures when she completed this medal for the Society of Medalists. She picked an animal wildlife subject and executed it beautifully.

This medal was chosen as the 27th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1943. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York which struck 747 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-027, Marqusee 207, SoM 27

The medal's obverse bears a winged cherub holding two laurel crowns. At lower right, GLORIA.

The reverse bears a cicada flanked by FA - MA; in lower right Jennewein's distinctive signature, a stylized facial profile, CPJ / 1933 / ©. The border is boldly beaded.

Jennewein contrasts Glory and Fame, two aspects of achievement and recognition, on a medal, which itself is often used as an award. He thus makes a subtle point not just about the distinction between fame and glory but also about the medium itself. In his "Message from the Artist" Jennewein wrote:

"Fame and Glory are symbolized in this medal as the elements in the life of men which the awarding of medals is designed to promote and recognize. But the artist has made a subtle distinction between that Glory which, unsought, belongs to those who aspire, strive and sacrifice for a great ideal, and that Fame which is won by self-seeking in the attainment of public eminence for the gratification of personal power and vanity."

He used the cicada as a symbol for the latter because its "noisy and shrill self-assertion gains wide hearing but is only the discordant demonstration of an obstreperous but insignificant creature." If Jennewein was annoyed by this type of person, I wonder what he would make of much of modern pop culture...

This medal was chosen as the 7th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. It measures 73mm in diameter. The Medallic Art Company of New York reportedly struck 1,237 pieces in bronze and 125 (out of 700 authorized) in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-007, Marqusee 209, SoM 7

The obverse bears a bust (l.) of Richard Byrd wearing aviator's goggles emerging from a bank of clouds. Across, COMMEMORATING THE CONQUEST OF THE POLES / BY REAR ADMIRAL RICHARD E. BYRD / AND HIS ASSOCIATES / PRESENTED BY / THE AERONAUTICAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF AMERICA; along bottom edge, MAY 9 1926 - NOVEMBER 29 1929.

The reverse bears eagle perched on airborne Ford tri-motor; polar scene below, Signed at bottom right, KILENYI.

The bronze medal measures 82.4mm (3.25") in diameter and was struck by Whitehead & Hoag. During the presentation banquet one gold medal was given to Admiral Byrd, his associates received silver medals, and all other guests received bronze medals. The mintage is 1,000 pieces in bronze, 65 in silver-plate and 1 in 10kt gold. 

According to Harry Waterson, the undisputed Kilenyi specialist, a piece in sterling silver might exist. It might be that an initial production run or a sample piece was struck in sterling silver but then, due to the Great Depression, subsequent pieces were struck in much less cheaper silver-plated base metal.  Any updates on this question would be highly welcome.

References:   Marqusee 217