LIBRARIES ON COINS AND MEDALS

At one time I aspired to form a collection of libraries on medals. I soon lost interest. Shown are examples of library buildings and library shelves on coin and medals.

Library of Congress

 

The 2000 Library of Congress Bicentennial Commemorative Silver Dollar has what I call a "flying book" on the obverse. There is writing on the pages. The only description I could find says that the text is illegible. The reverse shows the dome of the Thomas Jefferson building. Available in UNC and Proof.

 

The 2000 Library of Congress Commemorative bimetallic $10 coin is made of a .900 fine gold ring and .9995 fine platinum center. Don't be fooled by the hand holding the torch. That is not Liberty, it is Minerva. Any educated person should be able to tell the difference. Available in UNC and Proof.

 

The Library of Congress has awarded two bronze medals with similar designs. The Kluge Prize (left) celebrates the impact of knowledge on science and governance. The "Living Legends" Award (right) is presented for creative contributions to American life. The "Lining Legends" Award was presented to Sally Ride posthumously.

The dollar coins are available. The bimetallic $10 coins are available but cost thousands. The bronze award medals will appear on the secondary market infrequently.

There are other medals that may be reasonably priced.

 

LIBERTY AND LEARNING JAMES MADISON / MEMORIAL BUILDING /THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

 

U. S. CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY

Medals in my Collection

 

This Spanish medal is significant only in being the first I acquired. The obverse portrait, while not identified, is Victor Balaguer, benefactor of the library, Reverse legends are simple. BIBLIOTECA BALAGUER is the name of the library. VILLIANUEVA Y GELTRU is the location. 1884 is date of completion. SURGE ET AMBULA is the motto inscribed over the entry. This translates from Latin as "Get up and walk."

This medal represents the best and the worst qualities in a medal. On the plus side, it shows an author, a book and library shelves. On the minus side, the author is not identified on either side of the medal. It was produced for the Franklin Mint "Postmasters of America" series. It was issued as a First Day Cover with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow stamp. The implication is that the author is Washington Irving. The only connection to Postmasters of America is that it was issued with a cancelled stamp.

This Sterling medal was withheld from the melting pot about 2010 when we routinely melted Franklin Mint medals. They were worth more for their melt value than for their collector value.

[After I looked this up on the internet, 68 ads for it showed up on my MSN News browser.]

American Libraries on Medals
Shown are a selection of interesting American libraries on medals.

 

• Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
• The Avery Library
• Central Library 75th Anniversary Free Library of Philadelphia
• George Bush Presidential Library
• John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library Pass Boston ANA 1982
• Korean War Veterans National Library and Museum
• Memories of Old New Orleans Latter 1999 Library
• Redwood Library Newport, R. I.
• Troy State University Montgomery Rosa Parks Library

The emphasis here is on American medals. There are many similar medals for world libraries.

Perhaps twenty years ago. Nancy Green had an exhibit of library medals at an ANA convention.

A photo record of that would be a great introduction to the topic. While much numismatic history has been preserved, much has also been lost.

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
MORE ON AUTHORS ON COINS AND MEDALS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n33a12.html)
Books on Coins, Medals and Tokens (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n33a17.html)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web