Items Currently In Collection

Agricultural & Mechanical Award Medals (88)

	Mobile Agricultural and Mechanical Association, Mobile, Ala.. 1871. Silver. Diameter 58mm, 57 grams. Pre-1900 "Deep South" silver Agricultural or Mechanical Society medals are almost always far rarer and more desirable than east coast or northeast society medals. Probably because the South was far less wealthy or sophisticated (after the Civil War), less populated, had far fewer medallic diesinking companies & far fewer Agric / Mech Societies. Even the designs of these "Deep South" pre-1900 medals tend to be a bit cruder and less sophisticated than "Northern" medals. Altho , to my mind, they have a certain charm beyond rarity that make them more appealing than the much more often-seen "Northern" medals.
	Central Agricultural And Mechanical Association, Selma, Alabama. 1872. Silver. Diameter 43mm, 32.4 grams. This medal was acquired from Tony Terranova who told me at the time that he'd acquired it from Lester Merkin, legendary NYC coin dealer, whose wife was named Selma.
	American Institute New York. 1853. Gold. Diameter 28mm, 16.7 grams. There is a similar size gold American Institute by Moritz Furst which is earlier and rarer than this Lovett version. I underbid a gold Furst version on eBay approx 2 yrs ago. In original case.
	American Institute. 1871. Gold. Diameter 44mm, 101.3 grams. This large size American Institute medal is fairly common in silver and bronze and they regularly appear on eBay. But in gold, it is a different story - they are ext rare & I've seen perhaps 2 or 3 in gold in 50+ yrs whereas I've seen hundreds of the silver and even more of the bronze. This is a Gem Proof in gold and is ex PCAC auction yrs ago. In original case.

Civil War & Lincoln Medals (21)

	The Century - Cold Harbor, VA. 1864. Gold. 59mm × 45mm, 31.7 grams. Ex Anthony Terranova many yrs ago. Tony still remembers and mentioned the medal recently to me. A magnificent, large, hand-engraved and hand- assembled (separate rim) gold medal depicting the heat of battle at Cold Harbor, Va and a lifesaving scene. The officer being carried is a direct descendant of the Peter Porter of War of 1812 Congressional gold medal fame. One of the most impressive & visually appealing Civil War gold medals. Hand inscribed on rim.
	Lincoln Assassination - To Sgt. Thomas Cottingham. 1865. Silver. 73mm × 51mm, 61.5 grams. Finely reeded edge. Awarded by Brig. Gen'l LaFayette C. Baker, head of the Secret Service in 1865 plus $1,000 and so inscribed at top reverse. Sgt Cottingham, who was promptly promoted to Captain, is mentioned in Baker's own 1867 History of the Secret Service. This extraordinary, historical medal (not known to King) has a numismatic pedigree back to an H.G.Sampson sale Feb 12-14, 1884 lot 870 where, described as a "Proof and. Unique", it surpassed its reserve of $25 to sell for $42 to T. Harrison Garrett. When Dr. George Fuld first rec'd the fantastic Garrett/JHU medals for auction consignment & cataloguing at Bowers & Ruddy Galleries (then in Hollywood CA), he called me up to be present at the unwrapping. This medal took my breath away and I was determined to own it. During that visit, I asked George which medal, of the many hundreds of Garrett/JHU rarities, he most prized. He replied it was this Lincoln Assassination medal that most impressed him and that he valued it at $5,000. So we agreed altho my opinion of value was much higher. It hammered in 1981 for $26K and would have gone so much higher but for the "embarrassment of riches" in that 1981 sale. Ex- Garrett/JHU.
	Major General Ulysses S. Grant Congressional Medal. Silver. Diameter 102mm. The unique Congressional gold medal is on exhibit at the Smithsonian behind glass, in the same display as Grant's stuffed horse! The gold medal comes in an ornate burl wood, gold filigree presentation box which mechanically lifts up the medal as the lid is opened. Many of Grant's treasures were donated to the SI by the Grant Family.
	Sherman's Campaign - Lieut. Geo. Marr. Gold and silver. 65 x 40 mm, numerous Civil War campaigns hand engraved on the silver points obv and reverse.

Early American Medals (15)

	George I Indian Trade Medal. c. 1714-1727. Betts 165. Jamieson 2-D. Gilt brass. 44mm × 40mm, 19.0 grams, with loop for suspension. Engraved by "TC" (signed truncation of bust on obverse). Full mint state, never been buried, full gilt with a trifle gilt worn off the highest relief points of the uniquely constructed integral suspension loop. Two extremely light file test marks on the rim to make sure it isn't gold, but revealing a "pink" metal beneath the gilt. And the lightest, almost imperceptible very faint "reeding marks" around some of the rim which appear to be file marks to finish the planchet, beneath the gilt. It seems they would be file marks rather than reeding as they cover perhaps only 1/3rd the circumferance. Note: 19.0 grams=293 grains For comparison see: Lots 1131-32 and 1135, Bowers & Merena 's Frederick Taylor auction, 1987. Taylor 1135 is mis-attributed as Jamieson 1-D; it's 2-D. Stack's Americana Sale , John Adams IPM coll'n Jan 12, 2009 lot 5026 a Jamieson 2-C  AU without integral loop , much gilt at $41,400 to A. Terranova for client. ANS' The Medal in America, 1987 The IPM of King George I.
	George II Indian Peace Medal - Original. 1757. Silver. Diameter 44mm, 27.1 grams. Struck over a Spanish 8 real coin, the absolute diagnostic for an original in silver. There are so many restrikes and copies struck that this is proof positive as only the silver original was overstruck. One of the finest known with original suspension ring. Acquired in an upper NY state Samuel Cottone antique auction, it was found in & consigned from Canada. I was bidding on my cell phone while attending a "Great Western" gun show in Pomona, Ca perhaps 15 yrs ago. Some time later, I learned my immediate underbidder was my longtime friend and fellow collector Dick August of Prov, RI.
	Kittanning Destroyed - Original. 1756. Silver. Diameter 45mm, 43.1 grams. This is Gem Unc and very definitely the finest known original silver Kittanning. Mike Hodder, Stack's preeminent cataloguer & researcher, once told me he regarded the Kittanning Destroyed silver as the most desirable American medal in his opinion. Me? I think a large size oval Geo Washington Jos. Richardson-engraved IPM is.
	Libertas Americana Medal. Silver. Diameter 47mm, 61.6 grams. THE finest known and also the heaviest documented silver, according to Mike Hodder (evidently there is a wide variation in the thickness of planchets used). Not in the John Adams census. Deep watery, prooflike fields and beautifully lightly toned, immaculate surfaces. Superior to the Harry Bass silver with reverse pin scratches along the panther's back and superior to the spotted silver Unc recently out of Europe, discovered by Andy Lustig and sold at a 2007 Heritage auction to a consortium of dealers and resold for approx $200K. I've handled/examined both. Curiously, there are no Libertas American medals known without the die break or die defect "clump" on the obverse lower rim. Has anyone located any of the gold specimens struck? One would think the Paris Louvre or British Museum or the Smithsonian but nope. Ex-Virgil Brand.

Eastern Americana Medals (10)

	Laying of the Atlantic Cable. 1858. Gold. Diameter 59mm, 97.5 grams. The finest Gem Proof of the surprisingly 5-6 specimens in gold I've seen/owned, including a polished, thoroughly worn (Fine?), rim-mounted filigree jewelry pendant. So worn & beat-up in fact that it appears to me that an awarded sailor had it mounted and worn around his neck during his maritime travels. In original case.
	Tiffany NY Chamber of Commerce - Laying of First Atlantic Cable. 1858. Silver. Diameter 69mm. An earlier & distinctively different version of the Tiffany Atlantic Cable NY Chamber of Commerce medal. The bronze is scarce, this Gem Proof silver possibly a die trial & unique. To my knowledge, no golds are known of this version of the medal. And no silvers are known of the later adopted style. Presumably, Tiffany and the NY Chamber of Commerce decided to award gold medals, not silver, and liked the later design better.
	Cyrus W. Field Atlantic Telegraph Cable Medal. 1858. Silver. Diameter 81mm, 51.7 grams. Ex Sotheby's. Available in brz, silver is rare. I've seen one other in silver - Ford's.
	Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company. 1844. Silver. Diameter 46mm, 16.7 grams. A very early Massachusetts hand-engraved sharpshooting silver medal. Note the tiny museum painted attribution on the outer rim.

Lifesaving Medals (30)

	Massachusetts Humane Society. 1815. Gold. 75mm × 55mm, 30.4 grams. Perhaps the earliest known (1815) gold American lifesaving medal in collectors' hands? For lifesaving medal enthusiasts, I cannot recommend highly enough the splendid and rather rare book The Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, A Historical Review 1785-1916 depicting all the various lifesaving medals issued thru the centuries by the Mass Humane Society and listing all the recipients by year. Fascinating and great plates including an oval GOLD 1792 Massachusetts Humane lifesaving medal, and pictorial to boot! And a gold 1816 very similar to my 1815. Gad!.
	Massachusetts Humane Society. 1838. Silver. 57mm × 40mm, 9.4 grams. In original oval case.
	Massachusetts Pilot's Charitable Society - David Kelso. Silver. 65mm × 55mm, 28.6 grams.
	Humane Society of Massachusetts - unawarded. Silver. Diameter 51mm, 50.6 grams.

Other Medals (12)

	World's Columbian Exposition. Gold. Diameter 59mm. Ex Israel Switt, found in the back of his Philadelphia safe - the original owner of the ten 1933 double eagles. An utterly extraordinary high quality yellow gold (apparently 22 or 24 ct)heavy medal that was apparently hand-finished by a Phila jeweler who hand-scalloped the rims and finely reeded the edge. Absolutely unique with but one single auction record (Bowers & Merena) and previously unknown. One of the most impressive late 19th century medals I've ever seen.
	World's Columbian Expo Presentation Medal. Chicago, Illinois , 1893. Gold, 22K. Struck by Gorham (signed edge). Chicago World's Columbian Exposition gold presentation medal with related items. Initially acquired privately from the direct family descendants of the recipient Edmonds family on Feb 24, 2010 & acquired by me from that collector source at the Jan, 2011 Tampa FUN show. The reverse hand-engraved inscription says it all. The large medal is 63 mm, 6.2 ozs of 22 carat gold & was struck by Gorham , so marked on the rim. Elias Vedder, noted sculptor and painter engraved the obv die, the Vedder  last name minutely signed on the wagon. The same WCE  medal - obv only w/diff rev dies - was issued in silver & brz & both are themselves quite rare. This unique gold 6.2 oz gold medal comes with a 22 ct gold eagle badge w/ribbon, 22.9 grms 37 mm x 35 mm x 110 mm,  rev. Inscribed to Howard O. Edmonds (stamped Spaulding & Co.) , a rare brz WCE badge 89 mm x 42 mm & hand- engraved Secretary on hanger & a 22 ct gold 6.5 grms 23 mm  blue enameled  beaded border concave  pin inscribed  H. O. Edmonds. All housed in a magnificent custom-made plastic display case (not shown) , the large gold medal original presentation case being intact but tattered.  .
	Washington University of Baltimore. 1851. Gold. 47mm × 35mm, 12.1 grams. Magnificently and delicately hand engraved. Prooflike Gem Unc. A rare full face portrait of Geo Washington in gold. Absolutely unique and very early (1851) for a gold GW school medal.
	Great Seal Medal. 1882. Silver. Diameter 63mm. Ex John Jay Pittman coll'n. Possibly unique in silver. Gem prooflike Unc toned silver. Chocolate bronzes are scarce but obtainable. But silver.!.

Western Americana Medals (13)

	City of San Francisco to Morgan L Mott, Alderman - Gold Nugget Medal. 1850. Gold. 63mm × 55mm, 62.9 grams. Ex Virgil Brand coll'n in as-issued mint condition. Hand-made in early San Francisco in 1850. One of the most magnificent hand-constructed American gold medals I've ever seen. Three-dimensional, encrusted gold nuggets & gold dust. Maker Thomas Gihon of SF's Gihon & Butler signed his name "Gihon Sc." (Latin for sculptor) at 5 o'clock reverse periphery. In original case.
	San Francisco Fire Department - Daniel Davis, Board of Delegates. 1865. Gold. 58mm × 46mm. With original ribbon.
	Michael Baldridge California Pioneer. 1849. Gold. 79mm × 43mm, 43.4 grams. Probably made by Michael Baldridge himself as a member of the famous Parker H. French California expedition of early California settlers. The inscription detailed the challenging route they took. Pictured/enlarged in Q. David Bowers' California Gold Rush History book. A uniface gilt brass version of this badge is rare but collectible. This is the only gold, hand-inscribed version known to me.
	Colorado Predident Young Mens Republican Club. 1888. Silver and enamel. 130mm × 52mm.