1913 Medal Storer-1684 Silver Matte Springfield, MA Municipal Buildings

Coin Details

Auction Record

$840 SP63 08-20-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1913 Storer-1684 matte silver medal commemorates the dedication of the Springfield, Massachusetts Municipal Buildings. Cataloged by Malcolm Storer in his comprehensive reference on medals relating to New England, this piece celebrates the civic pride of one of America's oldest industrial cities. Springfield, founded in 1636, was home to the Springfield Armory, Smith & Wesson, and numerous other manufacturing concerns that made it a center of American industrial enterprise. The matte finish — achieved by striking with sandblasted dies — gives the medal a soft, diffused appearance that was fashionable for commemorative medals in the early twentieth century. This technique reduces surface reflectivity and emphasizes sculptural relief rather than mirror-like brilliance. The obverse depicts the municipal buildings themselves, a complex that housed city government functions, while the reverse carries commemorative inscriptions with the 1913 date. Malcolm Storer's catalog of New England medals, published in multiple volumes between 1891 and 1924, remains an essential reference for collectors of regional American medals. His numbering system (Storer-1684) provides positive identification for pieces that might otherwise be difficult to attribute. The silver composition indicates this was a presentation or premium version, as most commemorative medals of this era were produced primarily in bronze with limited silver and gold editions for dignitaries and sponsors.

Rarity Notes

Silver examples of municipal commemorative medals from this era are uncommon. The matte finish is characteristic of high-quality early twentieth-century medal production. Cataloged as Storer-1684.

Cross References

PCGS #697295; Storer-1684