The E-Sylum:  Volume 11, Number 7, February 17, 2008, Article 22

COINS AND MEDALS AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Regarding John Adams' discussion on the Drake Map medal,
Alan V. Weinberg writes: "So my memory of a Drake Mercator
silver engraved map medal selling for $50 grand 40-45 years
ago was accurate. John Adams reports Sotheby's sold one
for that amount in 1971. It was donated to the Library of
Congress which now has two!

"John's record of auction sales from 1905 to present is
a total of 4 medals in over a century. That's says something
of the Drake map medal's rarity. And John implies one is in
private hands yet!

"It is very interesting that the Library of Congress owns
two Drake medals. I recently learned that the long "lost"
and believed-melted (by a widowed, financially desperate
Mary Todd Lincoln) 1865 Franky Magniadas-designed  Swiss-
struck  Abraham Lincoln medal , approx 13 troy ozs of .
finer gold, is also in the Library of Congress. It is
aesthetically the most impressive of the many Lincoln
medals and tokens.

This raises the question of just how extensive are the
numismatic holdings of the Library of Congress in Washington,
DC? Several years ago I visited and could not get into even
the library as you have to have a pass and references and
be a legitimate researcher.

"Perhaps member Chris Neuzil, who lives nearby and has been
successful in his research of the fabulous gold Truxton medal
at the Smithsonian, can get a look into this most secret of
historical institutions - the Library of Congress ? Or member
Doug Mudd, now at the ANA in Colorado, knows of the Library's
numismatic holdings? If I know of three exquisite medals in
the Library's collection, rest assured there are other similar
treasures to be found there.  Remember the closing scene in
the first Indiana Jones movie with the boxed-up Ark being
wheeled into a cavernous Federal Government warehouse ?
Nuf Sed."

 REFERENCES ON THE DRAKE MAP MEDAL
 esylum_v11n06a16.html

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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