Featuring on NeoCollect...

Featured Collection

3Early American Paper Money
johnsallay

Featured Item

City of San Francisco to...
alanvweinberg

Featured Shared Catalog

1Gold Medals
johnsallay

Featured Show

4American School Medals
johnsallay

Featured Article

The Ridgway Medal
johnsallay

Items Wanted For Collection

in johnsallay's colections

American School Medals (4)

Wanted for collection: Kings College Literary Prize (Columbia University). New York, 1768. Silver, hand engraved. This example is in the Museum of the City of New York. Obverse: PRAEMIUM LITERARIUM COLLEGIUM REGALIS NOVI EBORACI IN AMERICA BENJAMINO MOORE (A Literary Prize of the Royal College of New York in America, to Benjamin Moore) and IN LUMINE TUO VIDEBIMUS LUMEN (In Your Light We Shall See Light) around Alma Mater seated on a throne, holding out an open book, with a cherub on either side and the sun rising on the right horizon; below the exergue is 1st Pet. II 1.2. And refers to a Biblical verse. Reverse: EXIMIO JUVENI PROPTER INSIGNES IN ARTIBUS PROGRESSUS (To an Exceptional Youth on Account of Noteworthy Progress in the Arts), around a full length standing figure of Athena, holding a spear in her right hand, awarding a medal to a standing youth.

The earliest school medals intended for America were two gold medals that an English merchant and member of Parliament, John Sargent, commissioned in London and asked Benjamin Franklin to offer in 1762 at the College and Academy of Philadelphia (which is now the University of Pennsylvania) to two students for their essays.  These were probably hand engraved and may still exist, but are not known.

The earliest extant American school medal is this elaborately engraved medal given by the Literary Society of King’s College in New York, which is known today as Columbia University.  It comes in two versions – an American made version engraved in New York by Elisha Gallaudet, who is believed to have engraved the dies for the Continental Dollar, and an English made version executed in London and hallmarked RR for Richard Rugg.  They are exactly the same except for the natural stylistic differences you’d expect from two different engravers.

This example is one of three known (of the 28 made) and resides in the Museum of the City of New York, having been given to them by a descendent of Benjamin Moore, the recipient.
 
Wanted for collection: Adams Academy. Julian SC-1. Gold. Diameter 36.5mm, 29 grams. Engraved by Francis N.Mitchell (signed MITCHELL on truncation of bust). This example owned by Jonathan Brecher. Obverse: VERBA ANIMI PROFERRE around a portrait bust of Cicero facing left. Reverse: ADAMS ACADEMY AWARDED TO (engraved) Charles Hunt Porter, Jr. FOR EXCELLENCE IN READING AND SPEAKING.
 
Wanted for collection: Iowa State University. Struck by the U.S. Mint, 1870. Julian SC-26. Silver. Diameter 31mm. This example owned by Jonathan Brecher. Obverse: STATE UNIVERSITY IOWA around empty center field probably meant for engraving a name. Reverse: Open laurel and oak wreath, tied with ribbon at the bottom, with the date 1870 engraved within.
 
Wanted for collection: Pennsylvania Institution For the Instruction of The Blind. Julian SC-32. Silver. This example owned by Jonathan Brecher. Obverse: PENNSYLVANIA INSTITUTION FOR THE INSTRUCTION IF THE BLIND around REWARD OF MERIT. On three lines in the cneter. Reverse: Open laurel wreath tied at the bottom with ribbon, around an open field in which is engraved Caroline Strauss. June 24, 1874.