Haym Salomon is considered one of the heroes of the American Revolutionary War. He came from Leszno and emigrated to North America in 1772 after several years in Western European countries. He is commonly referred to as the "banker of the American Revolution" and one of the founding fathers of the United States. Salomon's contributions and recognition are evidenced by numerous publications, articles, monuments, postage stamps featuring his image, and medals commemorating his role in the victory of the American rebels.
The medal described below was minted as part of the series "Pleiades of American Jewish Stars". The obverse side features a profile portrait of a man. The inscription in the surround reads: "HAYM SALOMON 1740-1785. PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT THE LAND/ LEV. 25:10”. The latter part is a quote from the Book of Leviticus. On the left side of the portrait, there is the artist's mark: "P. VINCZE". The reverse side depicts a full figure of a man sitting at a table. In one hand, he holds a pen and writes in account books, while the other rests on a rifle – a symbol of warfare. In the background, there is a battle scene featuring cavalry troops in combat. At the bottom of the medal, the year "1776" is inscribed, indicating the time when Haym Salomon joined the American rebels. The artist's mark, "P. VINCZE", was engraved again on the edge of the medal . The edge of the medal is smooth.
Paul Vincze was a Jewish medalist, coin designer, and sculptor from Hungary. He graduated from the School of Fine Arts and Crafts in Budapest. From 1935 to 1937, he studied in Rome, and in 1938, he settled in England. He received numerous awards at international exhibitions, including Madrid (1951) and Paris (1954). He was a member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG117090, accessed on 22 February 2021).
The medal was donated to the collection in 2011 by Marcin Błaszkowski of Leszno. The previous owner purchased it at an online auction in the United States.
Dariusz Czwojdrak
