For my birthday Saturday I was lucky enough to get the Christmas crud so many people are getting around here. Poor me. I also received this outstanding medal from my wife. Lucky me. It is a bronze cast by the famous, I'll just call him artist, Enrico Manfrini. Signore Manfrini was born in 1917 in Lugo, Italy. There is a great deal of information on him for anyone that would like to learn more. He is know as "The sculptor of the Popes." He passed away in Milan during 2004. The totality of his work, mostly religious in nature, is huge. Now to my medal. On one side is a high-relief cast of a bee. Around the sides are the dates 1870 and 1970. There is a small hallmark at the bottom center. I am guessing that it is from the place that cast the large bronze medal. The other side features a hard working banker with a scale that he is weighing a sack of money. The other side has a large ledger book he is recording his findings in. Across the top are the words CREDITO ITALIANO, which is Italian for Italian Credit. The bottom center carries the signature E. Manfrini. The details of the medal are as follows: It is a bronze cast made in Italy during 1970. It's diameter is 70 mm with an average thickness of 16.02 mm. I can't tell you the weight as my scale won't go high enough. I would estimate it at a full pound! I really don't know much about this medal at this time. I will let everyone know when I learn the story behind it and more of it's history and meaning. It has great meaning to me as I happen to be Italian and a beekeeper. Bees are often portrade as industrious, and hard workers leading to wealth. Italian culture has the connection between a beekeeper and his or her bees as almost spiritual in nature.. A fitting back to a banker figuring credit. I hope you enjoy this blog and photos. Please feel free to comment. Thanks for looking.

SOURCED:

http://www.antiqua.mi.it/Manfrini_dic14.html

https://markyourcoin.weebly.com/manfrini-enrico.html