1920 Manila Mint Opening Medal - Bronze

Coin Details

Auction Record

Description

The 1920 Manila Mint Opening Medal - Bronze is the base-metal striking of the medal made for the Manila Mint's opening day, July 6, 1920, the Wilson dollar. The obverse carries Woodrow Wilson's bust with PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES; the reverse shows a kneeling goddess holding up a pair of scales while she guides a boy at a coining press, with TO COMMEMORATE THE OPENING OF THE MINT, MANILA P.I. and 1920. George T. Morgan cut the dies and signed both sides, reworking his design for the Assay Commission medals; the attribution to Clifford Hewitt found in older books is doubted by NGC. The mint's records give 2,200 medals in silver, 3,700 in copper and 5 in gold. Unsold medals were dumped in the sea off Corregidor in 1942, and many recovered pieces are corroded. The mint's records and Hibler and Kappen (HK-450) call the metal copper; PCGS and this page call it bronze. The copper medals were sold at fifty cents. NGC also certified a brass piece without the M on Wilson's shoulder. Catalogue numbers: HK-450, KM-X11a. PCGS number 643971.

Cross References

HK-450; KM-X11a