101186 | UNITED STATES. Complete Set (5) of R. W. Julian's Satirical Medals.

101186  |  UNITED STATES. Complete Set (5) of R. W. Julian's Satirical Medals. Issued 1977–1981. By Julian & W. Williams.

 

(1): The Double Standard of the Liberal Media. Issued 1977 (63mm, 148.46 g, 12h). RICHARD M NIXON, bare head right, with features of "immense distress" / COHN AFFAIR | LЄTЄLIЄR | CHAPPAQUIDICK | "SЄLLING OF THЄ PЄNTAGON" | CAMBODIA | GULAG, janiform head of the Media, with a blindfold to the "left" and eyes open to the "right;" below, two inward-facing movie cameras flanking shield inscribed THE / DOUBLE / STANDARD in three lines. Edge: © MEDALLIC ART CO. – DANBURY, CT. – BRONZE. RWJ 77. Choice Mint State.

 

(2): The Panamanian Appeasement. Issued 1978 (63mm, 144.74 g, 12h). "SPЄAK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG STICK," bust of Theodore Roosevelt (leading proponent of the building and American administration of the Panama Canal) right / THE POLITICS OF APPЄASЄMЄNT, Uncle Sam genuflecting right, presenting the Panama Canal (on a silver salver) to janiform dictator (representing Panamanian "Maximum Leader" Omar Torrijos and Cuban "President" Fidel Castro); to upper left, shield with umbrella (symbolic of Neville Chamberlain–a reminder of the 40th anniversary of the München Agreement and the appeasement to Hitler); in two lines in exergue, PANAMA CANAL TRЄATIЄS / APPROVЄD BY THE U. S. SЄNATЄ. Edge: BRONZE. RWJ 78. Choice Mint State.

 

(3): The Broken American Energy Policy. Issued 1979 (63mm, 139.47 g, 12h). LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THE FACTS AND THE COUNTRY WILL BE SAVED, head Abraham Lincoln right / THE GOVERNMENT THE CONGRESS AND THE OIL COMPANIES AT WORK ON THE ENERGY CRISIS, the Three "Wise" Monkeys: the Democratic-led Congress, Democratic President Jimmy Carter, and the oil industry, seeing, hearing, and speaking no "evil," respectively; below, gas nozzles crossed in saltire. Edge: © 1979 MACO – BRONZE. RWJ 79. Mint State.

 

(4): The Deterioration of our National Defense. Issued 1980 (63mm, 139.43 g, 12h). THERE IS NO SUBSTITUE FOR VICTORY, bust of General Douglas MacArthur facing slightly right / CHINA KORЄA CUBA VIЄTNAM CAMBODIA ANGOLA NICARAGUA IRAN, Uncle Sam standing right, blidfolded and shirtless, holding primitive rifle indicative of our "decaying" defense; A LITANY OF DISASTER on ribbon below. Edge: © 1981 MACO BRONZE. RWJ 80. Mint State.

 

(5): The Degradation of our Justice System. Issued 1981 (63mm, 159 g, 12h). THЄ LAWS SHALL BЄ FAITHFULLY ЄXЄCUTЄD, bust of George Washington right / THЄ CRIMINAL IS SЄT FRЄЄ WHILЄ THЄ VICTIM IS FORGOTTЄN, facing half-length bust of Justice, with blindfold covering only one eye and holding scales dramatically tipped; in exergue, broken sword above JUSTICЄ IN AMЄRICA. Edge: © 1981 MACO – BRONZE. RWJ 81. Choice Mint State.

 

A brief series of five satirical medals with themes that, in the opinion of this cataloger, run to the right side of the political aisle. Designed with highly nuanced iconography and an eye toward classical motifs, this series is unparalleled in modern American numismatics and should appeal to everyone, no matter their personal ideologies.