"Solar Energy - Helios" by Donald Borja

Solar Energy - Helios 1979
by Donald Borja
SOM-99.1
Golden bronze with graphite brown patina
SOM-99.2
Silver

This design by Borja was chosen as the 99th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. The obverse bears Helios shackled inside a huge atom. Around, UNSHACKLE THE BONDS OF HELIOS; below, Borja. The reverse bears figure of Sun God driving four horses. Above, SOLAR ENERGY; below, TOMORROW'S FUTURE.

Borja designed this medal in the year of the "Oil shock" in the wake of the Iranian Revolution. As Iranian oil production dropped, oil prices more than doubled within a year. That dealt a severe economic shock to energy-intensive businesses and eventually to the entire economy.

Photovoltaics had recently arrived as a potentially viable source of free energy. Borja expresses his hope that mankind would soon be able to harness the virtually unlimited energy from the sun to solve its energy problems. As of 2014, the world has just recently started to harvest significant amounts of energy from the sun.

The medal measures 73mm in diameter. Struck by the Medallic Art Company of Danbury, the reported production quantity of this medal is 750 in bronze and 150 in silver.

SOM-99.1
Bronze
73.0mm (2.87in)
Golden bronze with graphite brown patina
THE SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS #99 DONALD BORJA, SC.
(C) 1979 MEDALLIC ART CO., DANBURY, CT.-BRONZE
SOM-99.2
Silver
73.0mm (2.87in)
THE SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS #99 DONALD BORJA, SC.