VOCABULARY TERM: BACKGROUND DEVICE

The two kinds of background devices are illustrated here with multiple devices and a single device design.

Background Device. Design covering the entire field behind the primary device. Similar to a subsidiary device but repeated to cover the entire field of a medallic design. Or it can be a number of repeated design elements which in themselves are similar usually of the same size and nature. It appears as if the primary device is placed superimposed on top of the field of the background device or devices, Illustrated examples show both kinds. The American Numismatic Society 125th Anniversary Medal’s background design of different coins are of similar nature while the Wang Medal is a unified design of a magnetic core memory grid.
CLASS 04.1

[This article is in memory of Mico Kaufman (1924-2016), artist of the Au Wang Medal above, who died last month, creator of more than 300 medallic items he was at the top of his profession as both sculptor and medallist.]

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web