Surprise impulse buy: MacNeil 1901 Pan-American Exposition Medal and the agony of indecision

Weiss

So I was sitting at my desk on Saturday afternoon, casually window shopping eBay for the few rare items I keep in the back of my mind, when I came across a listing for one of my favorite pieces: The 1901 Pan-American Exposition medal by Standing Liberty quarter designer Hermon MacNeil. I'm not a medal collector. But I have a few. Specifically those early pieces designed by American coin designers: Weinman, Saint Gaudens, and this one by MacNeil.

There are 3 different varieties of this large, 64mm medal by MacNeil (technically L-TM103, Baxter 106, Marquesee 250): Bronze, Silver, and Gilt. There are also two known examples in pure gold, and well...we never say never, right?

One of these pieces is in my Box of 20 collection (currently the silver), and it acts like an anchor for the bronze and gilt varieties I have in my collection.

I sat there and watched helplessly as my hand clicked on "buy it now", but was able to get control over the demon before I finished the purchase. I'd barely seen the sellers images, and they just looked too good. And it is eBay. And this piece is raw.

I needed to have a think.

So I canceled the purchase. I went back and calmly looked at the images. They were amazing. What's more, the seller had just listed three other medals of a similar age, including two I'd never seen before: South Carolina West Indian in bronze and silver. Gorgeous medals in their own right. But what intrigued me was that they were both awarded to the same recipient as the MacNeil medal: General Electric.

All of these medals were in their original boxes. All looked to be in beautiful, original condition. All awarded to the same company. The seller had unearthed an original collection of medals awarded to the same, well-known winner. The seller had mega feedback on eBay. The seller was asking way less than what I figured the medal was actually "worth".

So I enabled the demon and bought it.

Stunned, I walked out into the living room to tell my wife. She listened with the patience of a saint while I rationalized my purchase. I mentioned the other two medals all being awarded to General Electric. She asked what the fourth was.

It was the popular but much more abundant Augustus Saint Gaudens 1893 Columbian Exposition medal. Saint Gaudens is one of my favorite designers (my son is named in part for him). I told her I already had one of those, awarded to kind of a random person.
You already had a gilt MacNeil medal, too? She asked.
I admitted I did. But not in the original box, and not in the condition this new piece appeared to be.
She then asked to whom the Saint Gaudens medal was awarded. Well, it was also awarded to General Electric.
And the creaky wheels in my head started turning. I had a slabbed gilt Pan American medal, and I had a raw Saint Gaudens medal. Two random medals awarded to two random people.
But now I had a stunning, original gilt Pan American medal awarded to General Electric in the original box. And sitting on eBay, 20 feet from the living room, was a stunning original Saint Gaudens medal awarded to General Electric, in the original box.

...
...
...
I dashed to the office, clicked on the Saint Gaudens piece...and it was sold.

Tom's Law of Numismatics says the longer you've been a collector, the longer the intervals between seeing something you've never seen before. And the greater the time may pass before you see it again, if you ever do. So buy it. Now.

Let that be a lesson to you, kids.

And yes, of course I checked to see if it said "24K" on the rim. It says "Bronze"

And yes, of course the seller shipped this 120-year old national treasure in its original box, in a paper envelope, covered in stamps:

TomB

Fabulous story about the one you caught and the one that got away!

LukeMarshall

Gorgeous Design, and nice Read.

Meltdown

I'm glad you got the one,,, I've got a couple similar experiences... If you think about it just a little too long, buh-bye.

oldabeintx

I love medals in their original boxes and having multiple medals awarded to the same recipient - I don't collect these but I would have to jump as well, just because. The one you got is a real beauty.

coinkat

Great Story... and it could get even better if somehow the GE connection could be attributable to the Estate of Thomas Edison. Think about it... it is not far-fetched.

The art, history and design is why I collect medals. What has been captured on art medals is more impressive than coinage. I think your images illustrate the point more than what I am capable of expressing in words.

Weiss

Compare and contrast my NGC 63 gilt to see why this raw example was so exciting to find:

jonathanb

Great pickup!

NumisOxide

Way to go! Very nice medal.

Desert Moon

Great story, some times it pays to have trigger fingers. I have done that at shows and worried about consequences later, but rarely so online. So I feel your pain in missing on of them but you did get one cool medal and congrats!

Best, SH

DCW

Love the medal and had a great laugh at the story! Especially the end. Congrats, man!

jmlanzaf

Great Medal. It has long been one of my favorite works of art. They are just stunning and the large format just adds to its visual draw.

kaz

Beautiful medal, looks pristine. Thanks for sharing the story.