THE THIRTEENTH LABOR OF HERCULES

Nitroglycerin Corporation medal

The dealer profile story about Jeremy Bostwick illustrated a Swedish medal commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Nitroglycerin Corporation picturing a nude male strenuously opening a crevice between two rock walls. This theme of intense effort immediately brought to mind a 1979 medal commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the beginning of construction of the Panama Canal that I recently sold.

This large 3" diameter bronze piece also honors the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco which, according to So-Called Dollars authors Harold Hibler & Charles Kappen, had a three-fold purpose: 1) to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal, 2) to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of the discovery of the Pacific Ocean, and 3) to celebrate the rebuilding of San Francisco following the 1906 earthquake and fire.

1979 Panama Canal 75th Anniversary Medal

This medal is signed Nahl Hyde sc. on the obverse and W.C. Roddy 1979 on the reverse.

The image of the male in the crevice will be very familiar to collectors and enthusiasts of the 1915 Pan-Pac Exposition as the image was used on several promotional items including large expo advertising posters and one of the official guide books to the exposition. It is sometimes titled "The Thirteenth Labor Of Hercules". I feel fairly certain that E-Sylum readers will be able to recall earlier works that may have inspired the 1915 rendition what with the numerous Samson, Atlas, Hercules and other strong man themed numismatic items as well as other artistic works in our past.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NEW DEALER PROFILE: JEREMY BOSTWICK (http://www.coinbooks.org/v21/esylum_v21n31a23.html) Panama-Pacific-Int-039-l-Expo-Panama-Canal-PPIE-Commemoration-75-Years-1904-1979

To read the complete eBay lot description, see:
EBAY LOT DSSCRIPTION (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Panama-Pacific-Intl-Expo-Panama-Canal-PPIE-Commemoration-75-Years-1904-1979-/123290221039?oid=223069757084)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web