"Boy Fishing" by Herbert Adams

Boy Fishing 1934
SOM-9.1
Golden bronze with red-brown patina
SOM-9.3
Silver
SOM-9.4
Golden bronze with very light tan patina

This medal was chosen as the 9th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. The obverse bears a nude boy with a fishing rod who just caught a little fish and the the first half of an Oliver Wendell Holmes quotation: "OH WHAT ARE THE PRIZES WE PERISH TO WIN." The reverse bears a jumping trout with the second half of the quote: "TO THE FIRST LITTLE SHINER WE CAUGHT WITH A PIN."

In the artists own words:

"Beneath these whimsical words of the poet runs a vein of seriousness. I have not been unmindful of that undercurrent. A boy fishing is a common sight. But a boy's hopes, aspirations, struggles - these are the things that build the world's epics."

The medal measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 1,207 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References: Marqusee 3

SOM-9.1
Bronze
73.0mm (2.87in)
Golden bronze with red-brown patina
THE SOCIETY / OF MEDALISTS / NINTH ISSUE
MEDALLIC ART CO.N.Y.
SOM-9.2
Bronze
73.0mm (2.87in)
Golden bronze with very light tan patina
THE SOCIETY / OF MEDALISTS / NINTH ISSUE
MEDALLIC ART CO.N.Y.-BRONZE
SOM-9.3
Silver
73.0mm (2.87in)
THE SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS NINTH ISSUE - ONE OF LIMITED ISSUE OF 700
MEDALLIC ART CO.N.Y. - .999+ PURE SILVER
SOM-9.4
Bronze
73.0mm (2.87in)
Golden bronze with very light tan patina
SOM-9 Romance Brochure #1 SOM-9 Romance Brochure #2 SOM-9 Romance Brochure #3 SOM-9 Romance Brochure #4