Stack's Bowers & Ponterio
January 2023 NYINC Auction 13-16 Jan 2023
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VENEZUELA. United States - Venezuela. Erection of the Simon Bolivar Statue in Central Park Silver Medal, 1921. New York (Whitehead-Hoag) Mint. PCGS MS-63 Matte.
cf. Marqusee-137 (for overall type). By S. J. Farnham. Diameter: 63mm. Obverse: Farnham's equestrian statue of Bolivar as depicted in Central Park; Reverse: Female personifications of North and South America gliding leftward together, the former holding palm frond and the latter with broken shackles; between them they hold a torch; rising sun at a distance in background to left. Edge: WHITEHEAD-HOAG STERLING. Already a VERY RARE and impressive medal in bronze, this type is seemingly unheard of in the present sterling silver composition. Most attractively tonedand alluring, with some matte characteristics to the surfaces and some brilliance emanating from the protected areas. A minor rim bruise is noted merely for completeness at 6 o'clock on the obverse. Given the IMMENSE RARITY, however, this minor aspect is quite easily overlooked. Bronze examples appear to have been produced (in what must have been a very paltry quantity) by both Whitehead-Hoag and the Medallic Art Company, but another listing of the type in silver (by either firm) could not be located outside of the present specimen. A tremendous opportunity for the collector of EXTREMELY RARE emissions from either of these companies, the aficionados of Bolivar-related exonumia, or enticing American medals in general. Adding that much more allure is the fact that the designer of the medal is the same person (Sally James Farnham) who sculpted the statue itself.
Estimate: $1000 - $2000
cf. Marqusee-137 (for overall type). By S. J. Farnham. Diameter: 63mm. Obverse: Farnham's equestrian statue of Bolivar as depicted in Central Park; Reverse: Female personifications of North and South America gliding leftward together, the former holding palm frond and the latter with broken shackles; between them they hold a torch; rising sun at a distance in background to left. Edge: WHITEHEAD-HOAG STERLING. Already a VERY RARE and impressive medal in bronze, this type is seemingly unheard of in the present sterling silver composition. Most attractively tonedand alluring, with some matte characteristics to the surfaces and some brilliance emanating from the protected areas. A minor rim bruise is noted merely for completeness at 6 o'clock on the obverse. Given the IMMENSE RARITY, however, this minor aspect is quite easily overlooked. Bronze examples appear to have been produced (in what must have been a very paltry quantity) by both Whitehead-Hoag and the Medallic Art Company, but another listing of the type in silver (by either firm) could not be located outside of the present specimen. A tremendous opportunity for the collector of EXTREMELY RARE emissions from either of these companies, the aficionados of Bolivar-related exonumia, or enticing American medals in general. Adding that much more allure is the fact that the designer of the medal is the same person (Sally James Farnham) who sculpted the statue itself.
Estimate: $1000 - $2000