Last week I commented on the design and design process for the obverse of the 2010 American Numismatic Association convention medal. I was on the fence about the reverse and kept my mouth shut. But here's what one E-Sylum reader has to say.
-Editor
"The obverse horse and rider are excellent, but the halo and rays around Revere's head are incongruous. Paul Revere is not a Saint and these attributes are reserved for saints and religious people.
"The reverse design is less than mediocre. The tree is too small, too symmetric, the rays surrounding it are too numerous. The design is overwhelmed by the rays. Overall it is boring! Repetition of too many similar elements is a visual killer - very poor medallic design with cliché lettering.
"I would rate the medallic design a D-".
To me, the obverse rays seem to suggest the amplification and dispersion of Revere's voice as he calls out his warning. I didn't see them as a halo but that is a reasonable conclusion.
Whatever their purpose, I agree that the medal would probably be better off without them. It's a great image of horse and rider and doesn't require embellishment.
I'm curious to see how the final medal looks "in person". That's the ultimate test. Many of us thought the new shield design for the reverse of the 2010 cent was poor, but changed our opinions when seeing the new coins "for real".
I do agree with our reader that the reverse design seems both too busy and too plain. But I wouldn't grade the overall medal so harshly. I still like the obverse enough to give the overall design a B-.
-Editor
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
2010 BOSTON ANA MEDAL FEATURES PAUL REVERE
(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n24a20.html)
Wayne Homren, Editor
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