In a recent blog post, I mused over having to fill out one of those dreaded NGC submission forms. As with most things I procrastinate over, I eventually got around to it. I have also written about The American Bar Association medallion I bought from a seller on E-Bay who thought it was a fake. Well, today is the moment of truth. That medallion finally made it to NGC, and the grade was released today. 

If you remember, I wrote in my blog post on April 4, 2020, that I purchased an American Bar Association medal from an E-Bay seller who thought it was a fake. Of course, I thought otherwise. Because the item was offered for hundreds of dollars less than I could otherwise purchase it, I decided to take a chance and buy it. At that, I finally sent it to NGC for authentication and grading. 

If you’re like me, you are constantly checking on the status of your submissions. After the status changes to grading/quality control, the wait for finalized/imaged/shipped is almost unbearable. Then your status changes and NGC releases the grades. Now unless NGC is in the practice of encapsulating fakes, my medallion is authenticated with a grade of MS-64! 

I trusted my gut on this, and after hoping for a grade of MS-62, its time for “happy dance!” Presently, other of my coins and medals are waiting on grading. For now, I’m sitting on the edge of my seat, anticipating more good news. Below is the write up of this medallion for my Laura Gardin Fraser custom set. 

Every year since 1929, The American Bar Association awards this medallion designed by Laura Gardin Fraser for "Exceptionally distinguished service by a lawyer or lawyers to the cause of American jurisprudence." This medallion is an unawarded 75mm example of the ABA medallion struck in gilded bronze. From the reverse picture, it appears as if the gilt did not uniformly take. This medallion is also struck in two sizes 100mm and 75mm, of which the 100mm is scarcer. It's struck in bronze, 24k and 14k gold, and gilt bronze. 

The obverse features a bust of Chief Justice John Marshall (chief justice of the supreme court between 1801-1835). The motto "TO THE END IT MAY BE A GOVERNMENT OF LAWS AND NOT OF MEN" is contained in the Massachusetts Bill of Rights and written by John Adams. The reverse features a seated image of Justitia holding a scale in her right hand and a downward pointing sheathed sword with her left. Laura Gardin Fraser's monogram appears below Justitia. Gary