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Which US Mint medal has the most gold?

ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited March 20, 2020 4:02AM in U.S. Coin Forum

This US Mint medal by Frank Gasparro has 1 pound of 0.900 gold. Do any US Mint medals have more gold?

It's interesting that this was minted to order. I wonder if the Mint would do anything like this in the future.

Comments

  • Timbuk3Timbuk3 Posts: 11,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I don't have an answer to your question, but I do like that medal, I think it's nice !!! :)

    Timbuk3
  • gripgrip Posts: 9,962 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Super detail, specially in her face.

  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,497 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow, Troy pound I guess. That should be the one.

  • WeissWeiss Posts: 9,941 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Mintage of 423. I wonder how many of those or the two smaller gold versions (mintage about 35,000) are sitting in 3 for $1 bins in shops across the country.

    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
  • PhillyJoePhillyJoe Posts: 2,699 ✭✭✭✭

    "The Bicentennial of the Revolution had many numismatic observations, but few were so grand as the mammoth 16.8-ounce gold medals issued by the U.S. Mint in 1976 for the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration. The gold Bicentennial Medals are among the rarest modern Mint issues. Just 424 of the medals were sold, unsurprising in light of vast gold content contained in them, and of those sold, many were melted in the great run-up of the gold price in 1979-1980. This medal, marked #141 on the edge (not visible in holder), is one of the few survivors. Its broad butter-yellow surfaces are nearly untouched, and the sculptural depth is magnificent. An important piece of modern Mint history. Comes with original wood box and fold-out informative pamphlet. "

    Heritage Auction, Lot 4975, September 2010 Long Beach. NGC MS 68 $24,150 (incl BP)

    The Philadelphia Mint: making coins since 1792. We make money by making money. Now in our 225th year thanks to no competition. image
  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,113 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PhillyJoe said:
    "The Bicentennial of the Revolution had many numismatic observations, but few were so grand as the mammoth 16.8-ounce gold medals issued by the U.S. Mint in 1976 for the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration. The gold Bicentennial Medals are among the rarest modern Mint issues. Just 424 of the medals were sold, unsurprising in light of vast gold content contained in them, and of those sold, many were melted in the great run-up of the gold price in 1979-1980. This medal, marked #141 on the edge (not visible in holder), is one of the few survivors. Its broad butter-yellow surfaces are nearly untouched, and the sculptural depth is magnificent. An important piece of modern Mint history. Comes with original wood box and fold-out informative pamphlet. "

    Heritage Auction, Lot 4975, September 2010 Long Beach. NGC MS 68 $24,150 (incl BP)

    Thanks @PhillyJoe! Here's the link for #141:

    https://coins.ha.com/itm/u.s.-mint-medals/1976-us-mint-168-ounce-gold-bicentennial-medal-ms68-ngc/a/1144-4975.s?ic16=ViewItem-BrowseTabs-Auction-Archive-ThisAuction-120115

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,113 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Weiss said:
    Mintage of 423. I wonder how many of those or the two smaller gold versions (mintage about 35,000) are sitting in 3 for $1 bins in shops across the country.

    Would be an amazing cherrypick.

  • giorgio11giorgio11 Posts: 3,900 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It makes me wonder how much gold was in the two gold Libertas Americana medals purportedly given to King Louis XVI of France and Marie Antoinette (of "let them eat cake" fame)? They have long since disappeared from posterity (along with aforementioned monarchs). Anyone know?

    Kind regards,

    George

    VDBCoins.com Our Registry Sets Many successful BSTs; pls ask.
  • chumleychumley Posts: 2,305 ✭✭✭✭

    just to clarify to my simple mind.... a troy pounds consists of 12 x 31.1 grams troy ounces........and an avior du puis pound consists of 16 x28.4 grams ?

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,113 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BillJones said:
    The gold medal that was awarded to U.S. Grant for his victory at Vicksburg in July 1863 contains 28.77 ounces of pure gold. The diameter is 105 mm. I think that might be the heaviest U.S. gold medal. It is now in the Smithsonian collection.

    That's awesome. It would be great if we still awarded medals like this.

  • BillDugan1959BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @giorgio11 said:
    It makes me wonder how much gold was in the two gold Libertas Americana medals purportedly given to King Louis XVI of France and Marie Antoinette (of "let them eat cake" fame)? They have long since disappeared from posterity (along with aforementioned monarchs). Anyone know?

    Kind regards,

    George

    Well, while it remains a controversial subject, the bodies of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were not lost to history. They were buried separately (in coffins) following their respective executions in 1793 and certain royalists knew exactly where. Their remains were taken to Basilica St. Denis in Paris following the Bourbon Restoration.

    The small gold 1976 Bicentennial medals are not difficult to find, nor are they pricey.

  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,942 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 18, 2018 11:05AM

    @giorgio11 said:
    It makes me wonder how much gold was in the two gold Libertas Americana medals purportedly given to King Louis XVI of France and Marie Antoinette (of "let them eat cake" fame)? They have long since disappeared from posterity (along with aforementioned monarchs). Anyone know?

    Kind regards,

    George

    It's hard to say because sometimes the gold medals were struck on thinner planchets that the bronze pieces. I remember noting that when I saw one of the gold medals (I can't remember which one) in a museum. It was thinner than the bronze piece in my collection.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,942 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That's awesome. It would be great if we still awarded medals like this.

    The gold medal Congress awarded to Douglas McArthur in the early 1960s was smaller than a half dollar. There is a copy of it in a three piece set the mint issued for the Five Star Generals coin program.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,113 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Not to an individual, but the US Congress award Congressional Gold Medals to the Tuskegee Airmen in 2007.

    Here's the law authorizing this medal:

    https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ213/pdf/PLAW-109publ213.pdf

  • BillDugan1959BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 18, 2018 6:59AM

    @BillJones I have one of the small gold Bicentennial medals in the wooden box of issue, and one without OGP in an airtite. Both in 'as issued' condition. I paid very little over gold spot.

    Based upon the auction result quoted above, the large gold Bicentennial medal isn't impossible.

    Douglas MacArthur may have gotten short-changed a little bit, but he likely crossed a certain line in his dealings with President Truman.

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That is a really nice gold medal in the OP....Excellent detail and artwork... Cheers, RickO

  • ParadisefoundParadisefound Posts: 8,588 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The obverse is perfect for the big gold :)

  • JBKJBK Posts: 15,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I feel compelled to highlight the fact that this medal was designed by Frank Gasparro, and most people seem to like the design, the obverse in particular. (Interesting that he spelled out his last name on the obverse as many European designers have done).

    FG usually gets a lot of criticism for the SBA and maybe some other designs, but this medal shows that he was capable of turning out a quality design. I have always felt that for some of his other coins he was designing what he was told to design, the SBA obverse being a good example, He was told to make her look that way (which I am not offended by in any case, but some people don't like the design).

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 18, 2018 10:45AM

    I wonder why his autograph is straight while the stars are placed in an arc? Did someone else add "F. GASPARRO" to the die?

    Just a thought -- although the execution and general detail are good, the design is repetitive and trite almost to the point of being artistically empty.

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 21, 2018 7:40AM

    @RogerB said:
    I wonder why his autograph is straight while the stars are placed in an arc? Did someone else add "F. GASPARRO" to the die?

    Good question. He's used his full last time on a few other pieces. Are the letters are always straight, vs. curved. Do any engravers usually add the letters of their name in an arc? I don't recall seeing this with text this size. Are these questions things you could discover in your research?

    Just a thought -- although the execution and general detail are good, the design is repetitive and trite almost to the point of being artistically empty.

    Do you mean repetitive from before or after 1976? There were a lot of medals with the Statute of Liberty during the centennial in 1982 but I don't recall that many earlier. I do remember some from the WWI era they had a different perspective.

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 21, 2018 11:27AM

    On medals usually the artist adds their last name and/or monogram in a manner consistent with adjacent text or design details. Here, it looks as if it were quickly added by a novice.

    As for the other, rays were a trite element long before 1976, and use of the presidential seal was good for a "quickie" reverse in late 1963. My impression is of designs made with little creative effort or thoughtfulness.

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