By Mike Byers for Mint Error News ……
Charles A. Lindbergh 14″ Plaster of the Reverse
For the 1928 Congressional Gold Medal
Designed and Sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser
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This is a plaster of the reverse for the Charles A. Lindbergh Congressional Gold Medal that was designed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser. A gold finish was applied to this white alabaster plaster model by Laura Fraser in her studio. This was from the artist’s estate.
On May 20, 1927, Capt. Charles Lindbergh became the first aviator to successfully complete a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. For that feat, which made him a world famous hero and earned him the nickname the “Lone Eagle”, the United States awarded him the Medal of Honor.
Laura Gardin Fraser was a noted American sculptor and the first woman to design a U.S. commemorative coin. She was the winner of the design competition for the 1932 Washington quarter by the United States Commission of Fine Arts. This design was issued as the 1999 George Washington Commemorative Gold Five-Dollar coin, and her obverse design was used for the circulating American Women Quarter Program starting in 2022.
Her officially adopted designs include the 1921 Alabama half dollar, the 1922 Grant gold dollar and half dollar, and the 1925 Vancouver half dollar. Additionally, she co-designed the 1926 Oregon Trail half dollar with her husband, sculptor James Earle Fraser.
The 1928 Charles A. Lindbergh Congressional Gold Medal
The Congressional Gold Medal is our country’s highest honor, recognizing and appreciating the achievements and contributions of individuals or institutions. The United States Mint struck this medal in gold, which was presented to Lindbergh. The Smithsonian Institute has one example in gilt bronze. Bronze versions were struck by the Mint for sale to collectors.
The Congressional Gold Medal was authorized by Congress on May 4, 1928 and was presented to Col. Charles A. Lindbergh by President Calvin Coolidge at the White House on August 15, 1930. This medal commemorated him for the first non-stop transatlantic flight between New York City and Paris on May 20-21, 1927.
I have handled many plasters of U.S. coins and U.S. Mint medals, including the Charles Lindbergh Gold Medal Galvano. This Charles Lindbergh 14-inch medal reverse plaster features Laura Fraser’s dramatic representation of an iconic flying eagle on the reverse of the medal. Traditionally eagles have been featured on many U.S. Coins and medals as it symbolizes the strength and freedom of America. In honor of Lindbergh’s “Lone Eagle” nickname, Laura Fraser chose a flying eagle for her reverse design. This plaster truly belongs in a museum or private collection of Laura Gardin Fraser coin and medal designs. This would be the centerpiece in a collection dedicated to Charles Lindbergh or Congressional Gold Medals.
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