Maine celebrated the 150th anniversary of its Statehood back in 1970, and several medals were issued to help celebrate. There were official commemorative medals (the subject of a future post) and several private issues - the medal presented here is one of the private, for-profit medals - it was created and sold by coin dealer/part-time medalist Tovio Johnson and was the first to be released.
Collectors may be familiar with Mr. Johnson's "Coin Designer" series of medals from the 1960s. He created designs that honored Augustus St. Gaudens,
Victor David Brenner and
Charles Barber (released in 1962) and Evanetos (a coin engraver of ancient times),
James B. Longacre and
Christian Gobrecht (1963). The medals were produced by Metal Arts Company of Rochester, NY.
For Maine's Statehood Sesquicentennial, Johnson - a lifelong resident of Maine - prepared a commemorative/promotional medal design that, on its obverse, features an outline map of Maine, with the location of 27 cities/towns identified and named. Also seen is a call for visitors to come and enjoy Maine's "Clean Air And Clear Water" presented on a miniature highway roadside billboard/sign. The commemorative inscriptions "MAINE 1970" and "SESQUICENTENNIAL" flank the design at top and bottom, respectively. The maintenance of Maine's clean environment was very important to Johnson.
On the reverse is found a religious quotation "God Paints A New Picture Each Dawn In This Beautiful Land Of Four Seasons." The inscription is encircled by eight pine coins (Pine trees are the predominant trees in Maine forests). Also seen are four birds, three at rest at the top, and one in flight at the bottom. The birds are likely Black-Capped Chickadees - the Maine State Bird since 1927.
Johnson returned to Metal Arts for production of the 1970 Maine Statehood commemorative medal; his designs were engraved by Robert Schabel.
The medal was available in bronze and silver, in 3" and 1-1/2" sizes. The small bronze medal sold for $2.00, the small silver for $7.50. The large bronze medal sold for $6.00, the large silver for $39.50, (Maine residents were charged 5% sales tax.) The ordering window for the large silver medal closed on December 31, 1969; the other medals were available throughout the anniversary year, as supplies lasted.
Johnson had a distinctive design style and was proud of the Sesquicentennial medal he designed for his home state. Directing a comment at his fellow Maine residents, he stated "You will never need apologize for this medal."
Johnson died in 1973 at the age of 60.
Tovio Johnson 1970 Maine Sesquicentennial Medal - 3" Bronze
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including several on the 1920 Maine Stathood Centennial half dollar, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 06/13/2022 09:44 am
