VERY INTERESTING PORTRAIT OF COLUMBUS ON THIS BRONZE MEDAL (ALSO FOUND IN WHITE METAL)

This medal is a tad larger than a U.S. quarter and I can't really explain why I like it. I think the design is very simple and of the myriad interpretations of Columbus on WCE medals, this one seems unassuming and both sides. The portrait shows a formal yet seemingly relaxed view of Columbus. This version in bronze is scarce to rare; I've seen the white metal over the years (occasionally and NOT frequently) . The surface of this medal has small and not very intrusive miniature pock marks. I don't know how these occurred; the reverse also has two die cracks: At almost 12:00 through the sixth letter (E) of the word anniversary and at about 7:00 and also through a letter (E again), the seventh letter of "discovery."

I have seen the 12:00 die crack on more than one of the white metal examples of this medal. Obviously the same die was used for both versions of the medal, which is not surprising. It would be costly and time consuming to create a new die. I have not seen references to the die cracks but I also wasn't looking for them.

I would ask at least double the price if those pock marks were absent.

And, just an FYI observation, I see four different interpretations of Columbus in this sale: This medal, the next medal, a third medal whith the bust of Columbus quite small, and on the Columbus admission ticket. Frankly, I hadn't give it much thought until writing this description. If it were a sale heavy with medals as opposed to tickets, this count would be much higher.