Marcel Jovine

This medal was chosen as the third special issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1976.

The obverse bears long-legged bumpkin on pony, playing flute as dog runs alongside, chicken fleeing at left. Three scrolls forming triangle around central image, YANKEE DOODLE / CAME TO TOWN / RIDING ON A PONY; below, signed with stylized JOV / 76 ©

The reverse bears tricorne with feather seen from above. Below, 1776 - 1976

The famous song was entitled "The Yankey's Return from Camp" when it was first published in 1778 and used to poke fun at the colonials. Soon it became a badge of honor among them and became so offensive to the British that General Gage complained "I hope I shall never hear that tune again." It is reported to have been played at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown.

Jovine made two other beautiful medals for the Society: SOM-101 and SOM-122.

This medal measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company which struck 2,500 pieces in bronze and an unknown number in silver (500 were authorized).

This medal was chosen as the 101st issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1980.

The obverse bears endless circle of medieval hunters on horseback, with hounds and attendants, in search of a unicorn, which rests secure in a constricted circle at center. At bottom, signed with stylied JOV

The reverse bears unicorn rampant left. At right, TO / THE / DREAMERS / OF / DREAMS; at lower right signed with stylized JOV

Marcel Jovine was a dreamer of dreams himself. He created six fantastic designs for the calendar medals he did for the Medallic Art Company and appealed to the ovserver's imagination in his message "From the Artist":

"A practical person would describe a unicorn as a fabulous animal with the body and head of a horse, the hind legs of a stag, the tail of a lion and a single horn in the center of its forehead. To the DREAMER of DREAMS, the Unicorn is a reality and never more alive than when we need him most."

This medal measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company which struck 750 pieces in bronze.

This design was chosen as the 54th medal released by the American Numismatic Society to celebrate its 125th anniversary in 1983.

The medal's obverse bears a moneyer using the ancient technique of hammer striking to produce a coin. Behind him, pieces from the ANS collection. At lower right, signed with stylized Jov / 83

The reverse is divided into three panels vertically. Upper panel shows screw press; lower panel shows Janvier panthographic lathe making a reduction of Brenner's Lincoln cent; middle holds legend in three fields, 1858 / THE AMERICAN / NUMISMATIC / SOCIETY / 1983 / (ANS oak leaf) / "parva ne pereant"; signed at lower right, MARCEL JOVINE and S.JOHNSON

The medal measures 90mm x 110mm and was struck in bronze, silver, and gold by the Medallic Art Company. The mintage was 500 pieces in bronze, 100 in silver, and 3 in gold.

A selection committee initially chose this design for the American Numismatic Society's 125th anniversary but the full Council then rejected it in favor of an alternate design by Marcel Jovine.

The medal's obverse bears a nude medalist working a coining press. Signed with stylized Jov / 83 at lower right.

The reverse bears engraver's hand working on ANS oak leaves. Signed with stylized Jov / 83 at lower right.

This design was initially chosen by a selection committee which recommended it to the ANS Council. The Council apparently had issues with the nudity of the medalist on the design's obverse. Some members of the Anniversary Medal Committee were so pleased with the original design that they commissioned twelve sets of uniface bronze casts from Jovine. The original clay models remain at the Society.

The uniface medals measures 71mm in diameter. The artist produced 12 sets in total.

This was the 13th of the prestigious Brookgreen Gardens member medals, issued in 1985.

The obverse bears Pegasus rearing with her wings up around her body. Around, on wing, BROOKGREEN GARDENS - SOUTH CAROLINA

The reverse bears idealized sculptor carving Pegasus' face with a chisel. At Pegasus mouth, (stylized signature JOV)

The medal measures 76mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company.

The medal's obverse bears walking immigrant family, faces turned upwards in silent awe. Across, the famous lines from Emma Lazarus: GIVE ME / YOUR TIRED, YOUR / HUDDLED - MASSES / YEARN-ING TO / BREAT-HE FREE. / THE WR-ETCHED / REFUSE - OF YOUR / TEEMING - SHORE. SE/ND THEESE, - THE HOME/LESS, TEM-PEST-TOST / TO ME. - I LIFT / MY LAMP - BESIDE / THE GO-LDEN / DOOR. Signed at bottom right, (JOV monogram)

The medal's reverse bears Statue of Liberty's head in center; at its right, 19 / 86; signed over left shoulder with (JOV monogram); twelve segments with months around.

The edge is marked with © 1985 MEDALLIC ART CO. - DANBURY, CT. - BRONZE

In reference to the Statue of Liberty's nickname, this medal is also known as the "Mother of Exiles" medal.

This circular circular medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of Danbury, Connecticut.

References: MACo 1985-039

Many thanks to CJ Swinko for the excellent photos.

The medal's obverse bears eagle, wings spread, holding branch in talons, facing right. Signed at bottom right, (JOV monogram)

The medal's reverse bears eagle's head in center; under beak, 19 / 87; twelve segments with months around.

The edge is marked with © 1986 MEDALLIC ART CO. - DANBURY, CT. - BRONZE

This circular circular medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of Danbury, Connecticut.

References: MACo 1986-175

Many thanks to CJ Swinko for the excellent photos.

This medal was chosen as the 122nd issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1990.

The obverse is a deeply concave field with Michelangelo's God and Adam from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, against a background of swirling stars.

The reverse is a convex spiral of life forms, from protozoa at edge to human crouching in center. To left, signed with stylized JOV.

Jovine reprised the Creation theme again, following in de Francisci's Fiat Vita and Ellison's World of Nature footsteps. Jovine's medal put the Tri-State Mint, which had taken over the Medallic Art Company, to the test. Their press release stated that it took more than a hundred blows at 600 tons pressure and twenty separate annealings to produce each medal. The copper medal was initially sold for $60 but soon the price was increased to $125.

This medal measures 102mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company which struck an unknown number of pieces in copper (500 were authorized). A silver edition was limited to 250 pieces of which an unknown number were struck.