Here is a medal that most would not be interested in but couldn't resist showing off/ with follow up
RobertScotLover
Posts: 973 ✭✭✭✭✭
28
RobertScotLover
Posts: 973 ✭✭✭✭✭
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Actually, many coin club medals are very interesting and do have a collecting base. This is especially true of the early medals.
You're right.
"When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"
If I remember correctly that’s a rare medal. Congratulations!
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
That's cool 😎
I love the early work of the Medallic Art Co. For some reason the surface finish appeals to me and the engraving is usually well done (doesn’t hurt that this one was done by J M Swanson!)
These New York Numismatic Club medals are actually very rare and I would value it at $250 or more. That might surprise a lot of folks!
I am glad you posted some exonumia, as I don’t think as much of it is being posted due to the absence of a few key members lately.
The Valentine NYNC medal is really tough to find. Nice!
Very cool and a nice art deco design.
That is totally kick ass.
--Severian the Lame
Ok, what I know is 50 bronze medals were minted by the Medallic Art Company along with 8 silver medals. Based on my research and along with speaking with a number of experts on these there are probably 20 or less still existing and ALL are in strong hands of serious collectors. I have been searching for a genuine bronze piece for some years now. The only other example that I was able to acquire some time ago was this "silvered" piece, however it is another genuine bronze that had silver applied to the surfaces to fool a collector into thinking it was 1 of 8 silver specimens. Other than this piece I was never able to acquire a genuine bronze specimen until the Baltimore show. My new bronze will be off to PCGS for hollering shortly. I cannot wait to get it into its most deserving resting place.
That's a fabulous medal!
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
That would make an excellent pocket piece!
The odds of losing it are slim.
peacockcoins
As a holder of a NYNC Valentine medal you should consider yourself quite fortunate! It’s the most difficult NYNC medals to find, with some collectors searching a lifetime. Since Dr. Daniel Webster Valentine authored the first comprehensive book on Postage/Fractional, and then went-on to author the major reference on Half-Disme, this medal is also coveted by fractional collectors, half-disme collectors as well as NYNC medal collectors. Also, I believe he was the only individual to serve 2 non-consecutive terms as club president – 1918 and again in 1920.
I’ve done extensive research on DWV and have been maintaining a census of his NYNC medals as well as his book on postage/fractional currency (published by FCCB). These are all individually numbered so when one surfaces, I check/update my records.
His NYNC medal also represents the newly redesigned reverse, so it’s a ‘change-over’ medal. The reverse was designed by J.M. Swanson, his initials “JMS” can be seen in a circle between the date 1918 under the elbow of the torch bearer figure. On the face, one can see his name “J.M.Swanson” along the rim under DWV’s shoulder. Jonathon M. Swanson’s design on the reverse replaced the initial reverse which was designed by Victor D. Brenner (of Lincoln penny and other fame). This is another reason this medal is sought by NYNC collectors. Swanson and Valentine were good friends, I have a picture with them together at Valentine’s backyard. Swanson also did a signed pencil sketch which is in Valentine’s personal copy of his book.
There were 51 bronze copies of his medal produced. They were numbered 1 to 50, with the unnumbered one donated by Swanson to ANS. Of the 50 numbered medals, in the 15+ years I’ve been maintaining a census on them, only 13 have been identified. This one, number 25, will be new to the census. I also don't have any records on a silvered bronze. For many years, the NYNC didn’t have one in their collection until a member recently donated one. The last public sale of NYNC medals was the large holding by club member Dr. Jay M. Galst, by CNG in May, 2021. Of all the bronze medals, it brought the highest value of approx. $767.
Also produced were 8 silver medals, of which I’ve located only 2. The one that was in Dr. Galst’s collection sold for $1,534, bringing the highest price for any single silver medal. The other, was the one originally presented to DWV by the NYNC.
I can’t recall off-hand where, but either the ANA Numismatist, or the ANJ published an article in the early 50s on the club’s medals. FCCB’s complete collection was used for the article at that time. However, there were no NYNC medals in the Stack’s sale of the Ford holdings, so the whereabout of his collection is unknown, including the only gold NYNC medal that was produced.
In 2008/09 NYNC published a limited-edition book titled “An Island of Civility”, written by John Kleeberg and David Alexander, on the history of NYNC as well as the medals they had issued. It’s indeed a must have for anyone interested in this topic. I believe there were something around 150 copies produced and have seen where a copy has sold for $440.
As an aside, FCCB published 225 black/red cover copies of his book on postage/fractional currency, and 25 copies of a leather-bound edition. To-date, my census identified 37 copies, and there appears to be some that were unnumbered. This does not include those extra print-run copies that Max Mehl acquired and placed his own cover on and slightly changed the cover wording. Of the 25 leather bound copies produced by FCCB, I’ve got 4 in my records of this edition. This one is sorta special, because Valentine himself, signed and numbered these editions.
I wrote an article based upon my research, presentations and exhibits on DWV, and it’s in the current Nov/Dec edition of SPMC’s Paper Money publication.
If you would, PM me as I would like to add the info on this numbered medal in my census along with the 'silvered' one you have. Thanks!
Dear Fractionalguy,
you just made my year with your post. First when I said approx 20 existing I was being ultra conservative feeling that there must be more out there then the 13 that I also heard about being identified. So it is most reassuring reading your post. I just want to thank you for your heavy on facts and light on opinions post, it is greatly appreciated. I will not add anything more to what you stated in fear of screwing up even more LOL.