This medal was chosen as the 79th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1969.
The obverse bears muscular Paul Bunyan chopping tree, Babe the Blue Ox in background. Around, AMERICAN FOLKLORE PAVL BVNYAN
The reverse bears striding figure of John Chapman sowing seeds, spade and sack over his shoulder, appe trees at right. Above, JOHNNY APPLESEED; signed below, B.M. © 1969
The design for this medal is based on wall panels Mankowski had made for a pavillion at the New York World's Fair to celebrate American folklore stories. Mankowski wrote in the brochure which accomanied the medal:
"America was born in folklore, it is the story of a folk of pioneers who did not stop seeking, discovering and inventing, and through their individual competitive aggressiveness and boundless optimism were breaking the sod for unnumbered millions to come."
This medal measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported production quantity of this medal is 803 pieces in bronze.
