Silver commemorative medal celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jewish settlement in America. Minted in 1905, less than five silver examples are known to exist. Two gold medals were presented to President Theodore Roosevelt and former President Grover Cleveland. An additional 36 silver medals and 284 bronze medals were struck. The planned public monument in Central Park was never erected; funds were instead diverted to aid Russian Jews persecuted by pogroms.
Subject: Commemorative Medals
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Bronze commemorative medal honoring William Ward Burrows, a United States Navy officer during the First Barbary War and the War of 1812. The obverse depicts a tomb monument with various symbolic elements, including flags, pennants, and cannons, with the inscription "Vitorium Tibi Claram. Patrie Mestam*." The reverse shows two ships in battle, with the inscription "Vivere Sat Vincere" and details of the engagement between the USS Enterprise and HMS Boxer on September 4, 1813. The medal was created circa 1815 by Moritz Furst, a Jewish Hungarian engraver and medalist. Accompanying biographical information details Burrows' life and career, including his death in battle and posthumous Congressional Gold Medal. Extensive biographical information is also provided about Moritz Furst, highlighting his career as an engraver, medalist, and die-sinker in Philadelphia, and his creation of medallic portraits for several U.S. presidents. The description also notes Furst's work creating decorative embellishments on silverware.
Commemorative medal celebrating the semi-centennial (50th anniversary) of the Grand Lodge of Illinois (1840-1889). Features Abraham Jonas (first Grand Master) and John C. Smith (current Grand Master). The medal also commemorates Jonas as the first Grand Master in Illinois. Jonas was the first Jew to settle west of the Alleghenies (1819), served in the state legislatures of Kentucky and Illinois, was the first Jewish resident of Quincy, and served as postmaster (1849-1853). A friend of Abraham Lincoln, Jonas was appointed postmaster again from 1861 until his death in 1864. John C. (Corson) Smith was an American general, state treasurer, and lieutenant governor of Illinois. The medal includes a ribbon.