What are art medals?

The briefest definition is: small reproducible bas-relief items, generally flat (with design on one or two sides) in a size that can be held in the hand. Their method of reproduction can be cast or struck (and a few other less important methods).

Usually art medals are made of well-known metals (mostly: bronze, brass, copper, silver, gold), but they have been made of other permanent media or compositions as well.

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What is the most common composition for art medals?

Bronze for a couple of reasons. It is easily struck by dies (copper coins are a form of bronze), or very easily cast. Bronze metal readily conforms to all the relief surfaces of the die or mold, all the nooks and crannies. (Bronze has been used to make statues for 4,000 years!) After it is shaped as desired, bronze can be left to tone on its own, or better, it can be given a patina finish.

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Who creates art medals?

Artists who specialize in a particular kind of relief: bas-relief usually without undercuts–so the reproduced pieces can be removed from the die or mold. The artist prepares a pattern from which the final pieces can be made. The artist-sculptor can carve (cut away) or model (add relief with modeling material, as clay) to form the relief pattern. From this he or she may cast replicas or have the pattern made into dies to be used for striking.

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Is the relief on art medals special?

Very special. The rise and fall on the surface on the pattern called modulated relief forms the design. The surface of the pattern will determine the surface of the final item, it has to contain everything that will be on that final piece: the design, lettering, texture, surface smoothness, rim design if present, everything (but not the patina or color).

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What is the difference between medal and medallion?

It is a matter of size, medallions are large medals. Numismatists in Europe say medallions have a diameter of 80 millimeters or larger; this equivalent in inches (3 3/16-inch) is the dividing line between medals and medallions in America. But "medal" and "medallion" are used so indiscriminately by the public that these definitions are blurred in most people's minds (who may not even be aware that the concept of size is the distinction).

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What about medal and other similar terms?

Medalets are small medals, one inch or smaller. Medal is also an umbrella term covering all these terms. There are other related terms: plaquette and plaque. Plaquettes are rectangular (or nearly so) medallic items under 8 inches. Plaques range from 8-inch to perhaps 36-inch (under 18-inch are widely collectible). Tablets are large plaques and are unlimited in size. Plaques and tablets are usually uniface (as these large pieces are intended to be placed against a flat surface, as a wall, side of a monument, or such). All these forms, however, are made from bas-relief patterns created by sculptors experienced in this relief technique.

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How many art medals are made of each design?

That decision is made by the artist or the organization which commissions the artist to create the pattern. If the artist creates the art medal in his own studio (called atelier) from his own pattern a typical quantity–called edition is usually small, say 5 to 20 pieces (but this number may be 1 up to whatever). Collectors who purchase art medals prefer the fewest pieces possible (and hope the entire edition sells out quickly). An organization, which may mount a large promotion for their sale, may set the edition size at over a 100 or over 1,000, a quantity they feel they can market within the time of their promotion.

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Are these pieces serially numbered?

Ahh-ha! You've been listening to collectible shows or watching QVC on television. With the rise of the industry suppling newly-made collectible items, a lot of sales hype has arisen. Serially numbering items in a fixed edition is a device to indicate (but not insure!) that only this fixed, announced number will be manufactured. Placing a serial number on a bronze casting of a piece of sculpture is a century old method of identifying the number of pieces cast from a particular mold (or set of molds) and their sequence. This technique was adopted by promoters of the modern-day manufactured art objects to achieve this similar identification.

While not foolproof, serial numbering does help indicate, however, the size of the edition, particularly when both the serial number and the edition size are permanently indicated–stamped or engraved–right on the item. The preferred method is with a diagonal mark between the two numbers, as 5/20 means the fifth piece in an edition of 20. In large editions, however, it is not, necessarily, that exact number made in sequence (but a number so assigned).

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Are Certificates of Authentication necessary?

Only to the naive. Their only benefit, perhaps, is to furnish additional information as to artist, subject, date (and such) plus the testament by the maker and someone's signature (often printed). In time most certificates become separated from the item and discarded. Art historians find these documents of extremely limited usefulness and prefer to cite contemporary references in credible publications instead.

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Is there an advantage, then, in obtaining art medals direct from the artists themselves?

By your purchase you are endorsing or charmed by the theme or essence of the piece, and/or supporting the work of the artist. You are enhancing the thrill of owning and displaying an original art work in metal. Obviously at first, obtaining art medals from the artist is the only source. You become the primary owner and there is a certain cachet to that. Also, what the artist says about his or her own work will have more credibility, perhaps, than what some other seller might say.

Ask the artist for an invoice and to put as much information on that invoice you would like (name, size, composition, edition size, serial number, and such, in addition to the cost). And the artist should sign it. That paid invoice is a far more important document than a certificate of authentication, but if the artist furnishes one, attach it to the invoice (and place these in your permanent estate papers–they are that important!).

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Are art medals a good investment?

They are not offered as an investment. There is, however, a secondary market when the primary owner sells his piece or his estate comes on the market. Their value may have changed by then, determined by what a willing buyer may pay for a specific piece. Generally speaking, if you like the piece enough to buy it in the first place, someone else with similar tastes would do the same later. Meanwhile, you have enjoyed its ownership and shared its display with your friends, family and fellow collectors. The pride of that ownership is priceless.

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What's new in art medals?

Some new techniques and new forms. The most obvious are the multi-part medals, in which a single work of art is made of several parts, sometimes to fit within each other, sometimes interlocking. Multi-media art medals are also new; these are composed of several media, usually one of which is metal, others in whatever the artist chooses.

The first hologram inset was in a medal; now coins are made with hologram insets. Also the latest in coining technology are multi-ring planchets; mints can now strike a single coin with two rings and a center plug, all in different metals and obviously in contrasting colors.

Art medals often lead the way in cutting-edge technology that develop methods which is ultimately applied to coins and coining. The first proof surface appeared on a medal (Pitt Club Medals, 1762, London). Now proof surface is applied to coin dies by virtually every mint in the world, as mints cater to collector demand for proof coins and medals.

Watch the art medal field. You may see the next new technology here first!

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What are medallic objects?

An art form that grew out of medallic art. They are medallic creations that have no restrictions save one, carried over from art medals: they must be reproducible. Actually invented in American in December 1965 (inspired by Art In America magazine), medallic objects became popular with and named by the French. During the administration of a French mint official (Pierre de Hay), the Paris Mint was creating one new medallic object every day! Artist Salvador Dali, as you might expect, was attracted to this new art form and created several. More than a hundred French artists did likewise. The new art form spread among artists throughout the world and now much of the items shown at international medallic exhibitions are actually medallic objects. Members of the American Medallic Sculpture Association also create medallic objects.

Medallic objects are a free spirit art medal. Art medals have design on one or two sides. Medallic objects can have any number of sides, or no sides at all! Art medals can have no undercuts, medallic objects can. Art medals usually have a patina finish; medallic objects usually have patina finishes, but can also have what the French call enrichies, small objects attached to the surface (either before or after it is reproduced!). There are some similarities however: size for one (usually under 12 inches, never over 18 inches), both are issued in editions (no restrictions on the number). As one writer once said, "If I had to define medallic objects, I would say it is small bas-relief unleashed."

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There are thousands of medals offered every day on eBay; are these art medals?

For the most part no. For struck medals there is a technical difference that will not be apparent to you: the press on which they were struck. Coining presses owned by private makers sprue out millions of die-struck "medals" every day, like mints strike millions of coins every day. These are not art medals. They are coin-like, token-like, flat relief design objects usually smaller than two inches made from low-relief patterns and dies suitable for high-speed presses.

Art medals can be any size, but struck on a different kind of press; they are often multiple struck two or more times because of a higher relief. Generally nonart medals have NOT been given a patina finish (they are left as is, as they come from the press, called coin finish). Art medals ARE given a patina finish to give color, greater visibility and protection to their surface.

Buyers of medals on eBay usually are seeking medals by topic, not the kind of medal it is, or its relief, or the kind of press on which it was struck, or its finish. Thus, nonart medals do sell, but usually art medals sell for more. Certainly because they are more desirable, but also because of the lower quantity made, the greater care and steps in the manufacture, the more artistic quality of their design, and, perhaps a growing appreciation and rarity with age.

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Is there a name for these nonart medals?

Not really. If these medals are silver dollar size, collectors can them so-called dollars (despite the fact they bear no denomination). This 1½-inch diameter, silver-dollar size, is popular for the fact that tooling (blanking, rimming) exists for creating this size struck piece in almost every country and every mint. It is called crown size if not silver-dollar size in other countries. It is a large size for coins and a small size for medals in one diameter. Otherwise nonart medals (and most tokens) fall in a class American numismatists call exonumia ("exo" for outside of, "numia" for coins). All of which are struck on coining presses (and this is the major reason why die-struck art medals are so distinct from nonart medals–its their amount of relief and the presses on which they are struck.

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Does that mean all those medals struck by Franklin Mint are nonart medals?

Correct. They were struck on coining presses. That does not mean they are not artistic. In fact, the quality of art in their medallic productions was quite high; many of their designs and models were created by some of the best sculptors, medalists, and coin designers in the world. Notably, many AMSA members had created models for their series and single medals. In one instance Franklin Mint did create a strictly art medal series, but these were struck by their subsidiaries in other countries, because they did not posses the correct equipment and technology to do this in the U.S. [Franklin Mint has since suspended their own production of medals and sold off their coining equipment.] The art medal series was Sculptors Studio Series which bore a self-portrait on the reverse of a piece entirely the creation of that artist.

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So AMSA members can create art medals, medallic objects and nonart medals too? And they can create coins also?

Yes. And yes! The creative process is the same. Members of the American Medallic Sculpture Association have done all these in the past and can handle the design and modeling necessary for most any small relief item. They know bas-relief! And can meet the technical and design requirements for any kind of production necessary to produce these. The artist members can work with any mint or medallic firm in the world. Anyone or any organization can commission them to create a medal ... or for sheer enjoyment! ... you can purchase any of the fine art medals AMSA members have for sale.

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