Artifacts of Faith, Art, and History

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Catholic Counter-Reformation reshaped Europe and expanded into the Americas to evangelize native peoples. Bronze medals were a significant but common object minted during this period. Each medal tells a unique story because they are sourced from Catholic convents, estate collections, and metal detector enthusiasts.

Due to their use, being touched hundreds or thousands of times, and often being carried and worn in harsh environments, the medals will show the natural surface wear (patina) created by their age, use in devotion, and by exposure to the elements. They are found in modern days both above ground in sometimes buried, as with other artifacts.

All our listed items are original Christian devotionals. Some may have been cleaned or polished before their arrival, by their last caretaker. Please note that medal prices vary, based on scarcity, condition, age, and appearance.

This medal is 2 inches long and weighs 32 grams. Its auction will benefit two Carmelite Convents who feed poor kids in South America.

This medal is from the vast estate collection of Catholic Bishop George Guertin. He was a collector of rare original Vatican mint medals, from the 18th century; this medal was from his collection and was acquired in 1932 by the last caretaker. All the Bishops medals came directly from Vatican clergy friends; some were never issued to the public or show little signs of wear as they came from Convents and monasteries in Italy before the start of WWII.

This medals dating can be confirmed on pages 2 & 3 of the book AN INTRODUCTION TO RELIGIOUS MEDALS, by Bob Forrest, and published by NUMISMATICA INTERNATIONAL in 2004. In addition, this book has chapters (outlined in the table of contents), describing each of the categories of medals, their possible place of pilgrimage (acquisition), and origin of the mint where they were made. We recommend that anyone serious about collecting medals from this period acquires a copy of this book. 

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