Circle of Friends of the Medallion was formed by

Charles DeKay Charles Augustus de Kay (July 25, 1848 – May 23, 1935) was a linguist, poet, critic, and fencer. He was a son of George Coleman De Kay, a naval officer. He graduated from Yale College in 1868. He was best known for founding the National Sculp ...

Robert Hewitt, Jr. Robert Hewitt Jr. was a successful real estate investor in Manhattan, New York, and a notable numismatist.Johnson, D. Wayne"Medals in Books Led to Two Art Medal Series" ''E-Sylum'', vol. 8, no. 9, article 12, February 12, 2005. Numismatic Biblioman ...

, and the French-American trio of

Jules Edouard Roiné Jules Édouard Roiné (Nantes, October 24, 1857 – April 11, 1916), was an exemplary French-American sculptor and master medal engraver of his era. He was a student of Léopold Morice, renowned sculptor who completed the bas relief over the ...

with brothers Felix and Henri Weil, all living in New York City.Johnson, D. Wayne
"Circle of Friends of the Medallion"
''Medal Collectors of America website'', 2004. Retrieved on September 1, 2007. . DeKay, "a newspaperman and art lover" provided the contacts to form the Circle of Friends of the Medallion, often referred to as the Circle of Friends,Ritter, Ed
"A Milestone for the 'Circle of Friends'"
, ''Professional Coin Grading Service website'', May 24, 1999. Retrieved on September 1, 2007. while Hewitt, "a Manhattan real estate investor" provided the funds for its development.Johnson, D. Wayne

''E-Sylum'', volume 8, number 9, article 12, February 12, 2005. Numismatic Bibliomania Society website. Retrieved on September 3, 2007. Jules Edouard Roiné and Felix Weil ran the Roiné, Weil and Company (1908-1916) which they collaborated with Henri. Upon Roiné's passing in 1916, Felix and Henri Weil operated the Medallic Art Company of New York. The three men, via both companies, made the 1st, 2nd and 12th medals in the series. Joseph K. Davison & Sons of Philadelphia struck the other medals. The Circle of Friends issued a total of twelve medals from 1909 to 1915. The first was the ''Hudson-Fulton Medal'', commissioned to the Medallic Art Company. Numismatists estimate that the Circle of Friends issued "no more than 500 of any" medal in the series and each was presented in "tan cloth books." De Kay wrote the articles that accompanied the medals. The medals were not offered for public sale. Instead, they were issued to a small group of collectors that formed the Circle of Friends. The Circle of Friends commissioned leading medalists of the time to create the series, with themes commemorating significant events, places or people. A few of the medals broke from traditional design by using oblong and oval edge shapes. The Circle of Friends consisted of approximately 400 members, including several prominent individuals such as "inventor

Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell (, born Alexander Bell; March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was a Scottish-born inventor, scientist and engineer who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone. He also co-founded the American Telephone and Te ...

, financier

J. Pierpont Morgan John Pierpont Morgan Sr. (April 17, 1837 – March 31, 1913) was an American financier and investment banker who dominated corporate finance on Wall Street throughout the Gilded Age. As the head of the banking firm that ultimately became known ...

U.S. Mint The United States Mint is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury responsible for producing coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce, as well as controlling the movement of bullion. It does not produce paper money; that ...

Director A. Piatt Andrew, two U.S. senators, well-known coin dealer Wayte Raymond and sculptors Flanagan, Brenner and

Bela Lyon Pratt Bela Lyon Pratt (December 11, 1867 – May 18, 1917) was an American sculptor from Connecticut. Life Pratt was born in Norwich, Connecticut, to Sarah (Whittlesey) and George Pratt, a Yale-educated lawyer. His maternal grandfather, Oramel Whittle ...

." Although the Circle of Friends only existed for a few years, it significantly impacted exonumia in two ways. Firstly, private collectors designed and executed a medal series for the first time in America. This provided a new form of expression for American artists using American themes and it boosted patron involvement in medallic art. Secondly, the Circle of Friends laid the groundwork for future medallic endeavors in America and increased the experience base of important individuals and organizations in the field, such as the Medallic Art Company. Later, the Medallic Art Company struck the prestigious series produced by

The Society of Medalists The Society of Medalists was established in 1930 in the United States to encourage the medallic work of superior sculptors, and to make their creations available to the public. The Society of Medalists was the longest running art medal collector's ...

.Medallic Art Company Ltd
"Society of Medalists Collectors Medals"
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928161248/http://www.medallic.com/societymedalists.htm , date=2007-09-28, ''Medallic Art Company Ltd. website'', 2004. Retrieved on September 5, 2007.

Medals of the Circle of Friends of the Medallion, 1909-1915

*Number 1. ''Hudson-Fulton Celebration'' by John Flanagan (1909) *Number 2. ''Happiness of Home and Hearth'' by

Isidore Konti Isidore Konti (July 9, 1862 – January 11, 1938) was a Vienna-born (of Hungarian parents) sculptor. He began formal art studies at the age of 16 when he entered the Imperial Academy in Vienna, where he studied under Edmund von Hellmer.''Colle ...

(1910) *Number 3. ''Saint Brendan the Navigator'' by John Mowbray-Clarke (1911) *Number 4. ''Motherhood'' by

Victor D. Brenner Victor David Brenner (born Avigdor David Brenner; June 12, 1871 – April 5, 1924) was an American sculptor, engraver, and medalist known primarily as the designer of the United States Lincoln cent#Wheat cent (1909–1958), Lincoln Cent. Biogr ...

(1911) *Number 5. ''Marquis de Lafayette'' by Jules-Édouard Roiné (1911) *Number 6. ''Charles Dickens'' by John Severinus Conway (1912) *Number 7. ''Abdul Baha'' by Louis Potter (1912) *Number 8. ''The Ocean'' by Sigurd Neandross (1913) *Number 9. ''John Charles Frémont'' the Pathfinder b
René Théophile de Quélin
(1913) *Number 10. ''Anglo-American Peace Centennial'' by John Mowbray-Clarke (1914) *Number 11. ''New Netherland Tercentenary'' by Paul Manship (1914) *Number 12. ''Blessed Joan of Arc'' by Allan George Newman (1915)

Notes

External links

Medal Collectors of America: ''Circle of Friends of the Medallion.''
This website contained details of all twelve medals in the series with links to pictures of each. This website also contained a detailed list of references on the "Circle of Friends." 1909 establishments in the United States 1915 disestablishments in the United States Arts organizations established in 1909 Exonumia Organizations disestablished in 1915