103668 | UNITED STATES. Statue of Liberty/"The World" silver award Medal.

103668  |  UNITED STATES. Statue of Liberty/"The World" silver award Medal. Issued 1886 to commemorate the newspaper's record-breaking circulation of over 250,000 (45mm, 31.36 g, 12h). By G. A. Rowe in New York City.

 

STATUE OF LIBERTY / HEIGHTH OF PEDESTAL 89 FT TOTAL HEIGHTH 306 FT 9 IN, view of the Statue of Liberty facing slightly left // THIS MEDAL / PRESENTED / WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF / The World / IS COMMEMORATIVE OF THE PASSING OF / THE 250,000 MARK / THE LARGEST CIRCULATION / EVER ATTAINED BY ANY / AMERICAN NEWSPAPER / SEPTEMBER / 1886 in 11 lines. Edge: Reeded.

 

Gabriel GO-10. Mint State Details. Very lightly cleaned, with some subtle toning around the devices. A very rare and seldom encountered type, with this cataloger able to locate just three records: a Choice Mint State in Presidential Coin & Antique [Joe Levine] 86 (29 August 2016), lot 1069 at $632.50, a mottled Mint State details in Heritage 462 (14 February 2008), lot 81764 at $184, and an About Uncirculated in Coin Galleries (18 December 2007), lot 2027 at $143.75.

 

The New York World, originally entitled The World, was first published in 1860 and ran until 1931. Following Joseph Pulitzer's acquisition of it in 1883, the newspaper began a rapid increase in its circulation and subscriber base, owing a great deal to yellow journalism and publicity stunts. An aspect of the latter can be seen with this rare medal, in that Pulitzer sought to raise funds for a pedestal to accompany the newly-arriving Statue of Liberty. With the paper promising to print the name of each and every person who donated, the funds were raised and the pedestal acquired. This medal commemorates the "New Colossus" as well as highlighting the milestone circulation of 250,000 then-attained by The World. About this type, Joe Levine wrote that "...The World ... issued a number of tokens and medals of which this is by far the most outstanding. It is one of the earliest pieces depicting the Statue of Liberty."

 

Upload: 5 November 2026.