THE ALEXANDER AGASSIZ MEDAL

In 1911, the National Academy of Science announced a $6,000.00 trust fund under the control of Sir John Murray to establish a gold medal to be awarded to men of science from any part of the world for original contributions to the science of oceanography. It was established to honor his friend Alexander Agassiz, Academy president from 1901 to 1907.

One of those invited to submit preliminary sketches was Hermon MacNeil. He submitted several of the reverse and then, upon request, submitted another in which "a figure of science is receiving the treasures of the sea." He also included a projected cost figure of $1,350.00, $1,000.00 for his work to the striking point, and $350.00 for the cost of the 3" medal struck in gold. With gold selling at $25.00 per ounce, he indicated that a medal of this size averaged close to 14 oz. Known records do not contain a request for sketches of an obverse.

One year later in April, the Academy announced the name of the winner, French sculptor and medalist Theodore Spicer-Simpson. His medal was 3" in diameter, one eighth of an inch thick and weighed about 9 1/2 ounces in 24 carat gold for which he was paid $1,000 to prepare the dies and furnish the first copy.

  
MacNeil's Second Submission
Image courtesy the Smithsonian Institute Archives of American Art

  
Spicer-Simpson's Winning Design

For a variety of reasons, my opinion is that it all came down to dollars.

Spicer-Simpson was often referred to as being British, but according to other records, he was born in France. Maybe his father was a diplomat.

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