Louisiana Purchase Exposition Grand Prize medal

Object/Artifact

National Building Arts Center

Front of Louisiana Purchase Exposition Grand Prize medal

Front view of a tarnished, bronze, shield-shaped medal, depicting a spread-winged bird of prey (eagle or falcon), holding a banner above two dolphins and a seashell.

Name/Title

Louisiana Purchase Exposition Grand Prize medal

Description

A tarnished, bronze, shield-shaped Grand Prize medal from the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition (a.k.a. the St. Louis World's Fair). On the front is a spread-winged bird of prey (eagle or falcon), holding a banner above two dolphins and a seashell. On the back is an image of two allegorical goddesses, one taller and more ornately dressed, providing shelter/comfort to a shorter, younger-looking allegorical goddess.

Use

The coin would have been awarded exhibits/companies/contributors to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. It is likely that the medal would have been awarded during or directly after the duration of the Exposition.

Collection

Promotional object displays

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Adolph Alexander Weinman

Role

Sculptor

Date made

circa 1904

Time Period

20th Century

Notes

The sculptor of the medal can be attributed to Adolph Alexander Weinman, according to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, but it is difficult to pinpoint where the medal would have been manufactured, although Weinman often lived in New York.

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Makers Mark

Location

On the back side of the medal, near the foot of the female figure on the right.

Transcription

"A.A. Weinman Fect." ("fect." stands for fecit, meaning "made it" in Latin)

Language

Latin

Translation

"Adolph Alexander Weinman made it"

Material/Technique

Etched

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Medal, Prize

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Prize

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Achievement Symbols

Nomenclature Class

Personal Symbols

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Getty AAT

Concept

metal

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Measurements taken from the tallest and widest points on the medal

Height

7.5 cm

Width

6.5 cm

Depth

0.5 cm

Parts

Count

Parts

Medal

Material

Bronze

Color

Brown, Gold

Condition

Overall Condition

Very Good

Condition Type

Tarnish

Date Examined

Jul 24, 2026

Examined By

Elena Marshall

Surface

Surface and body are in great condition, with only a brown patina from tarnishing/age throughout the surface.

Research Notes

Research Type

Researcher

Person

Elena Marshall

Date

Jul 24, 2026

Web Links and URLs

Listing of the exact same medal, found in the archives of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Notes

(See Made/Created)

Create Date

July 24, 2026

Update Date

July 24, 2026