Written by: Paul G. Lajoie

We will begin with what is reported to be the first medal issued to commemorate the building of the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World.  This was issued in 1876 when the Statue was presented to the United States people by the people of France.  It was manufactured by the Monnaie de Paris, also known today as the Paris Mint.

 

In his seminal work on this subject, John J. Gabriel produced a catalog in 1982 which he titled, "Exonumia Of Liberty Enlightening The World."  His entries are recognized in the numismatic world by "G" numbers.  Thus the very first entry in his work is known as GO-1.  

 

The "G" refers, of course, to Gabriel, the "O" designates the medal as before 1900, and the 1 is obviously medal number one. In similar fashion, my catalog will itemize medals according to his basic plan, but will be marked "L," thus this medal will become known in this future publication as LO-1.

 

 

1876 United States Centennial Medal

 

 

 

Obverse: Statue of Liberty on a six sided base, inside Fort Wood's eleven sided bastion walls; the Hudson River, and the New Jersey and New York shores are in the background, on a slightly raised panel, with visitors, ships, and sailboats in the river; above:  COMMEMORATIVE • MONUME // NT • OF • AMERICAN • INDEPENDENCE;  thirty-eight six-pointed stars circle below the legend; in the exergue:  A. BARTHOLDI.  STATUAIRE, (this is the French word for Sculptor); a dotted border surrounds the inside of the rim.

 

Signed:   TASSET.

 

 

 

Reverse:   IN / REMEMBRANCE / OF • THE • OLD • FRIENDSHIP / BETWEEN / THE • UNITED • STATES • AND • FRANCE / BY / PUBLIC • SUBSCRIPTION / AMONGST • THE • CITIZENS / OF / BOOTH (sic.) • NATIONS / 1776 • 1876; a dotted border surrounds the inside of the rim.

 

Edge:   Paris Mint Mark / Bronze (Bee mark in use from 1860 to 1879).

 

Designer:   Ernest Paulin Tasset.

 

Maker:   Paris Mint.

 

L0-01     51mm Bronze    (2 inches)

 

G0-01 From John J. Gabriel's seminal catalog titled "Exonumia Of Liberty Enlightening The World," published in December 1982, by Bellmore Books, Box 411, Belmore NY.