Arts Gold Medallions Lay an Egg

Question: I have a number of Grant Wood and Marian Anderson medallions. How do I determine their value? These medallions are not mentioned in any of the coin magazines.--W.N.C.

Answer: You’ve brought up a very interesting--and in some ways mysterious--subject.

When the U.S. government decided to dabble in bullion coinage, it did so with the ill-fated American Arts Gold Medallions series. This well-intentioned project was designed to honor outstanding Americans in the arts. The first year of issue, 1980, honored the artist Grant Wood with a one-ounce gold medal and the singer Marian Anderson with a half-ounce gold medal.

Acceptance was only moderate. The public bought 312,709 Grant Wood medals and 281,624 Marian Anderson medals. The program limped along the next year with one-ounce medals for Mark Twain (116,371) and half-ounce medals for Willa Cather (97,331). In 1982, Louis Armstrong was honored with the one-ounce medal, which sold 409,098 copies, the highest in this series. There were 348,305 Frank Lloyd Wright half-ounce medals sold.

Poet Robert Frost (390,669) and artist Alexander Calder (74,571) were honored in 1983. The program ended ungloriously in 1984 with actress Helen Hayes (33,546 one-ounce medals) and author John Steinbeck (32,572).

I don’t know why this worthy series didn’t gain public acceptance. Undoubtedly, some of the lower mintages will eventually be worth a premium. Your medals are from the first year of issue and basically trade as bullion pieces. You can find price quotes occasionally in the classified advertising section of Coin World. You might also be able to locate some interested dealers at some of the larger coin shows.

Q: I have a Japanese 1 yen silver coin. People who read Japanese told me it is of the Meiji Dynasty. How do I know whether it is genuine? How much is it worth? How do I find a buyer?--U.K.W.

A: You’ll probably be able to identify your coin in the Standard Catalogue of World Coins by Krause and Mishler. Also, many dealers handle such pieces. A few phone calls should put you in touch with an interested dealer. From your description, your coin is probably worth about $50.

Q: I am curious as to the value of my coin. It’s about 3/16 of an inch thick and looks like it’s made out of copper. On one side is the name Britannia, 1797, and on the other side is the name Georgius III D:G Rex.--R.U.

A: Your coin is British. Depending upon the denomination, it’s in the $10 to $25 range.

Coin Calendar

Friday, Saturday and Sunday--The 26th annual Glendale Coin and Stamp Expo should prove interesting, with 60 dealers loaded with new material following the Long Beach Show. Coins, stamps, jewelry, collectibles and baseball cards will be featured. Hours are noon to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Expo is at Glendale Civic Auditorium, 1401 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale.