Jeffrey Briggs Wins MEDALS250 Competition with Young Benjamin Franklin
A close vote crowns “Young Benjamin Franklin” the MEDALS250 winner, with two striking designs sharing runner-up status.
Voting in the MEDALS250 contest for the favorite medal celebrating the 250th Anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence was very close. Readers of Numismatic News and other leading numismatic publications selected “Young Benjamin Franklin” by Jeffrey Briggs as the winner of the $500 prize. Jeffrey describes his medal as his “interpretation of the younger Franklin portrait appearing on the $100 bill and originating as a painting by Joseph-Siffred Duplessis in 1785. It is surrounded by his famous retort made at the signing of the Constitution, “A REPUBLIC, MADAM, IF YOU CAN KEEP IT.” The reverse is a promotional cartoon printed in his newspaper advocating for the unity of the 13 colonies, with the inscription “JOIN, OR DIE.” The 4-inch bronze medal can be obtained for $290 by contacting jeffrey@briggssculpture.com.
Two medals were in a virtual tie as runner-ups, and each medalist will receive $175. These were “Rough Times” by Jim Licaretz and “Rise Up and Resist” by Tracy Mahaffey. The obverse of Licaretz’s “Rough Times” depicts the date “1776” and three elements associated with that historic year – an eagle’s head, the Liberty Bell, and 13 stars, while the reverse features the year 2026 and a haggard eagle’s head that’s losing feathers, and a Liberty Bell that is literally falling apart. “Rough Times” is available from Jim at jimlicaretz@gmail.com for $75 plus $8 shipping; the 3 ½ inches bonded bronze medal is being made in an edition of no more than 25
MacHaffey’s “Rise Up and Resist” also contrasts a battle scene of 1776 with present-day street protests. The artist indicates that “In today's times, freedoms are still being challenged and different battles over liberties are happening. The protest signs on “Rise Up and Resist” showcase statements that resonate from the Women’s Suffrage movement to today’s struggles for women’s reproductive choices. “Rise Up and Resist” is available for $400 plus 15.00 shipping from Tracy Mahaffey at info@tracymahaffey.com.
The MEDALS250 competition was conducted by the American Medallic Sculpture Association (amsamedals.org). To receive pictures and artist contacts for all of the medals entered in the MEDALS250 competition, contact Mel Wacks at directorjahf@yahoo.com.
