Only open this if you like US nickels (But prepare to nerd out).
Weiss
Posts: 9,935 ✭✭✭✭✭
How would you like to see a silver medal designed by the Jefferson Nickel's designer Felix Schlag? Yeah? 
How about one featuring Chief John Big Tree, one of the models that James Earle Fraser used in designing the buffalo nickel? 
How about a 50-year old medal in sterling silver by Felix Schlag, thought to be Schlag's final work before he passed away, featuring Chief John Big Tree on the obverse and...
...a depiction of James Earle Fraser actually sculpting Chief John Big Tree into his design of the buffalo nickel on the reverse? 
Silver Medal of National Commemorative Society, United States. # 1968.117.1
Date: 1967
Measurements
Weight: 26.991
Diameter: 38
Issuer: National Commemorative Society
Artist: Schlag, Felix
Portrait: Tree, Chief John Big
Identifier: 1968.117.1
--Severian the Lame
Comments
That is a really neat medal. Never saw it before.
Pete
I wonder how any of those have escaped the melting pot? I don't see many Franklin Mint silver medals being offered these days. The silver price run-ups of 1979-80 plus the more recent run-up seemed to have sent most to the smelter.
Sterling is often discounted just because it’s sterling, which I don’t get at all. If it’s from the Franklin Mint, even more so. I know this one says National Commemorative Society but it has that look.
I like it and probably would be a buyer of products like that if they were still being made.
I'm not impressed with it.
The National Commemorative Society medals were the first medal series of the Franklin Mint (even though the first few issues were NOT struck by the Franklin Mint). I recall they were issued at the rate of 2 per month with a total of 150 different.
There were several publications that listed all of the Franklin Mint issues. I believe the last book devoted to them was published by Krause Publications in about 1982.
Looks like 3 were minted in platinum ($2100 issue price) and 5249 in Sterling
With only 5200 made 50 years ago. I bet it could be a challenge.
There is one on eBay but at 80 bucks you’d have to really want it.
That's pretty neat. I still have the set of the award winning designs for the 1938 nickels.
My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
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Yep. Any guess as to what % of that mintage has been melted? I'd wager 75% or more.
The custom cases of these sets had a small metal label identifying the designer next to the medal. But I'd further wager that most of the remaining pieces have been pulled from those cases. And if you didn't know this medal's history or to look for Schalg's monogram, or have no idea who Schlag was (or both), you wouldn't have any idea.
FWIW: I have it on good authority that the eBay seller is pretty easy to work with
--Severian the Lame
Here's one!
https://ebay.com/itm/1968-James-Earle-Fraser-Silver-Medal-by-Felix-Schlag-Serial-3087/274126290631?hash=item3fd3333ec7:g:Hh8AAOSwP8ld5wx0
My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8A11CC8CC6093D80
https://n1m.com/bobbysmith1
That’s pretty cool aright.
The Chief John Big Tree story has been questioned for many decades. Since Fraser's portrait is a composite we will probably never know for certain.
Clunky.