Synopsis "Medals of the Jewish-American Hall of Fame 1969-2019"
From 1969 to 2019, Jewish-American Hall of Fame medals have been issued — finding homes in collections, museums, etc. around the world — becoming the longest continuing series of non-government art medals currently being issued in the United States. Now, for the first time, biographies of more than 50 Jewish-American Hall of Fame inductees have been published, along with their portrait medals created by leading medalists ― many of whom have won the prestigious Numismatic Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture (presented by the American Numismatic Association), and the American Numismatic Society’s J. Sanford Saltus Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Art of the Medal.This book also includes back stories of the medals ― including correspondence with the medalists and preliminary art work ― adding to the appreciation of the final works of art. Mintages and mints are indicated for the benefit of collectors. In addition, the reader will find pictures and mintage data for over three dozen additional special medals commissioned by the Jewish-American Hall of Fame. On the back cover, noted medal collector and scholar Donald Scarinci writes: “For those who are interested in American history, culture, art and science, the Jewish-American Hall of Fame medals form a gallery of great Americans.” Accordingly, the book features biographies about honorees such as physicist Albert Einstein, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, baseball hall of famer Hank Greenberg, magician Houdini, Israel Prime Minister Golda Meir, newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, immunologist Jonas Salk, patriot Haym Salomon, entertainer Barbra Streisand, and many more.Just as you don’t have to own a Rembrandt to enjoy an art museum, you don’t have to be a medal collector to appreciate this handsome and informative volume.
