Watch List notes:

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Denmark - United States. Alexander Agassiz Oceanography Bronze Award Medal, 1960. CHOICE UNCIRCULATED.
75mm; 167.63 gms. By T. Spicer-Simson. Obverse: NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, bust of Agassiz left; Reverse: ALEXANDER AGASSIZ MEDAL / OCEANOGRAPHY, jellyfish swimming upward to left; below, plaque bearing the recipient's name: ANTON FREDERIK BRUUN / 1960; around, wreath comprised of marine flora and mollusks. Alluring yellow-bronze surfaces, with great artistry. A VERY RARE and interesting award medal. Includes original case of issue, with Bruun's name and the date of the award embossed in gilt foiling.

The Alexander Agassiz award was named in honor of the famous American engineer who made significant contributions to the study of marine biology and oceanography. Having assisted upon aquatic expeditions in South America and Australia, he wrote extensively in the field, and later served as president of the National Academy of Sciences. Following his death in 1910, the academy endowed the aforementioned award, intended to recognize some of the most outstanding oceanographers in all related fields. The first presentation of the award was in 1913 and was then given intermittently due to the two World Wars. Eventually, the academy adopted the period of every five years for bestowing the honor, with the most recent being in 2018-the 48th such awarding of the honor. In addition to the recognition garnered, the prize also includes a medal and a purse currently listed as $20,000.

In 1960, it was Danish oceanographer and ichthyologist Dr. Anton F. Bruun who received this distinction. Dr. Bruun served as the scientific leader of the Atlantide expedition and the Galathea deep-sea expedition in the decade-and-a-half before this recognition. Sadly, he would pass away just a year later in 1961 at the age of only 59. In an interesting twist, because of Bruun's great contributions to the field, an award is now named and presented in his name. In 1970, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO created the Anton Bruun Memorial Lecture, with the Anton Bruun Medal following in 2005, intended to be presented to all future lecturers in the series.

Estimate: $800.00- $1200.00