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Junipero Serra medal showing the California Mission Trail. The medal is serially numbered on the edge with a NY mark, but it does not say Medallic Art. The artist is the same as the other medals, so I believe this is part of or related to the series.

I'm a TAMS member. I've not yet come across an ad for the series in old publications, although I suspect they must be out there somewhere. Heritage had a set of 11 medals, one set in bronze and one set in silver, with the serial numbers around 1460 (mine are in the 640 range). Their catalog description stated that they did not know if the set was ever completed (there were 21 missions) and they attributed them to the 1960s. I've seen a number of Santa Barbara medals and that mission remains popular with many tourists. If they were sold in mission gift shops as well as by subscription, then I would expect Santa Barbara to be common. If they were only sold as numbered sets (such as by subscription), then I might expect them to be equally scarce or common. In any event, they are beautiful examples of the medallic arts.

Medallic Art Co. Struck a series of proof medals commemorating the California missions in the 1960s. The were struck in bronze and silver, brilliant proof, high relief medals. Some may also have been struck in gold, but I have not seen a reference to an actual gold example of any of the medals. Each carries a serial number on the edge. I have bid on silver examples from time to time, but never seriously. I recently had the opportunity to acquire four of the medals in bronze for $5 each. Now I'm on a quest to complete the series, but I do not know for sure how many different medals were issued, although I have found one auction reference to a set of 11 such medals. The lot description stated that the cataloger did not know if the series was ever finished. They follow: Santa Barbara San Fernando Rey San Luis Rey San Rafael The obverse shows an image of the mission and the reverse shows an image of the saint for which the mission was named.

bill; Ursone As; Group 1 http://omnicoin.com/coins/970986.jpg Bronze As of Ursone ca. 50 B.C., Spain. Not the best preserved example, but rare and one of my favorite bears on early coinage.

bill; Castulo Semis; Group 1 http://omnicoin.com/coins/956393.jpg Celt-Iberian Castulo Bull. 1st Century B.C. Semis. Exceptionally well preserved.

bill; Thomas Elder Satirical Token; Group 10 http://omnicoin.com/coins/952567.jpg My favorite satirical token wherein Thomas Elder calls Farren Zerbe an ass by portraying him as a zebra stripped mule.

bill; Baltimore Oriole Medal ; Group 9 http://omnicoin.com/coins/961504.jpg Baltimore Oriole Festival 1882

bill; Prague 1891 ; Group 9 http://omnicoin.com/coins/971810.jpg Czechoslovakian medal, Prague 1891 fair, bronze, 43mm.

bill; Denier of Blois; Group 2 http://omnicoin.com/coins/941558.jpg Rare denier of Blois, France. 940-950 A.D. Minimalist portrait of an idealized king. In time, them image became increasing abstract until the notion of representing a portrait was lost entirely.

My article on the Midwinter Fair exonumia (you saw some of it here in progress) is published in the October 2009 issue of the TAMS Journal.

Elder's first store card. 100 struck in copper and 1,000 in aluminum. The Latin phrase Moveo et Proficio (I move, I perfect) contains a typo that apparently embarrassed Elder and it was not widely distributed.

2008 in Phoenix. Native Copper:

I'd forgotten about that medal. I have one on my shelf as well. I'll have to add it to the collection along with my 25 year medal.

An aluminum store card from the Chipron Stamp Co. in Los Angeles, California. A rare item from about 1930. The company was founded in 1892 and sold to the LA Rubber Stamp Co. in 1942.

The Gallery Mint's Exhibitor and Judges medal for the 1997 ANA Convention in New York. I'm experimenting with photographing the engraved edge. I know there is a method with mirrors, but I don't have the right set up. Instead, I've formed a composite of multiple images. If you want the full detail, click here.

1963 Denver, Colorado Silver 500 sets in Silver and Bronze. This medal is numbered 378 on the edge. It was designed by Charles Nelson with assistance from Dan H. Brown and James Nelson. It was struck by Medallic Art. The image of Pike's Peak is adapted from the 1861 John Parsons and Co. Pike's Peak gold piece. The reverse features reproductions of the J.J. Conway & Co. 1861 gold piece and the Lesher Referendum Dollar. Although it is unrelated and struck 54 years earlier, the Thomas Elder satirical dig at Farran Zerbe bears a striking resemblence to the convention medal when one considers that Zerbe promoted the Lesher dollars as collectors items and Elder chose to illustrate him as an ass atop Pike's Peak:

A 1909 store card by Frank C. Higgins, engraved by Hanson. Silver 2-10, German Silver 5, Copper 5, Brass 5-10, Aluminum (pictured here) 100. 1909 was the 300th (CCC) anniversary of Hudson's discovery, but the Clermont sailed in 1807 and Cook reached the pole in 1908. Oh well, close to C.

Back to the small size tokens again, this one similar to the Christmas token:

Aluminum 1927 Lincoln token issued by Thomas Elder. A crude copy of a piece he first issued in 1910. Elder idolized Lincoln and struck many different medals in his honor. This piece included 300-500 in Gold, 14 in German Silver, and unrecorded numbers in Silver, Copper, Gildine, and Aluminum (pictured here).

Issued in 1917 as a "dog-tag" for departing US soldiers, the piece is often listed as a Civil War dog tag. It was issued in 1917 using a Robert Lovett obverse die (made in the Civil War era) and a Hanson reverse die. Struck in Silver, German Silver, Silver-Plated Bronze, Bronze, Brass (pictured here), and Aluminum. and German silver:

The 1909 Hudson commemorative issue designed by Frank C. Higgins and sculpted by J. Edouard Roine. Engraved and struck by the Medallic Art Co. 1 in Bronze, 75-100 in Silver, and 200+ in Aluminum (pictured here).

The Zerbe satirical issues described in another post: Engraved by Hanson. 2 in Gold, 25 Silver, 10 German Silver, 25 Copper, 100 Gold-plated Brass, 10 White Metal, 200 Aluminum (pictured here). Also by Hanson. 2 in Gold, 25 Silver, 10 German Silver, 25 Copper, 100 Gold-Plated brass (pictured here), 10 White Metal, 200 Aluminum.

I've acquired enough Elder pieces to make the beginnings of a collection. So, I'll repost previous pieces and add new ones here as the collections grows. The first, posted earlier is Store Card No. 3, October 1, 1906. DeLorey notes that the engraver is uncertain. Elder lists 1 in Gold, 4 Silver, 5 German Silver, 100 Copper, 100 Brass, 5 White Metal (pictured here), 500 Aluminum, 7 Lead, and 5 Fiber. The ANA museum has 57 copper pieces from the F.C.C. Boyd estate. More Enduring than Books, or Customs, or Nations: A Coin. Store Card No. 4 was issued in late Dember 1906 or early 1907. The obverse is a Lovett die used for the Washington inaugural centennial in 1889. Lovett's signature is removed and C.H. Hanson engraved the reverse. The Lovett die is from Hanson's inventory. 2 Gold, 6 Silver, 11 German Silver, 50 Copper (as is hown here), 50 Brass, 50 White Metal, 261 Aluminum, 7 Lead, 7 Fiber.

I haven't kept this thread fully up to date and I've been concentrating on other purchases, but I did add this medal in the past week: His friends arranged the design and production of the medal and the ANA board approved its production while he was out of the country. The medal was struck in silver and bronze (mintage unknown) and one in gold presented to Moritz Wormser. J.M. Swanson of New Jersey designed the medal and executed a fantastic portrait. Wormser's friends covered the costs of producing the medal. It was struck by Medallic Art Co. Bronze medals sold for $2.50 and silver medals sold for $7.50.

I too would have no problem with the pledge as I am a devoutly religious and very sick consumer of the fruits of vine.