THE MEDALLIC PORTRAITS OF SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL.

By J. EricEngstrom '65. With a Foreword by the MostHonourable The Marquess of Bath. London:Spink & Son, Ltd., 1972. Profusely illustratedwith Estimated Valuations. 52 pp. $5.65 postpaid.

This handsome book presents the life history of England's greatest statesman of the 20th century in medallic art. The author has recorded and illustrated over 100 medals connected with Churchill's life. Seven years after his death the interest in medallic mementos in Churchilliana continues unabated.

The corpus of medals starts with a German satirical medal issued in 1916. Churchill as First Lord of the Admiralty is shown as a seamonster attacked by Siegfried. This typical German Wagnerian conception was repeated again by Guido Goetz in Munich in 1939 to commemorate imagined but unrealized sinking of the aircraft carrier "Ark Royal." This time a Star of David documents the prevailing German anti-Semitism, in this case directed against Leslie Hore-Belisha, the Jewish Secretary for War in the English cabinet.

The first English medal, showing a bust of Churchill as Prime Minister, was issued by Spink & Sons, Ltd., in 1941 and is the work of Fred J. Kormis. It is one of the best likenesses and cast in high relief. Another medal issued by the British Red Cross in 1942 to commemorate the Battle of Britain shows the war leader with his typical cigar. An excellent portrait medal was also struck by the Paris Mint in 1945 in honor of Britain's contribution to the liberation of France.

Churchill's death prompted a rather uninspiring series of medals. The reverse types are especially disappointing and lack imagination and skill of execution. A noteworthy exception is the medal designed by the recently deceased American artist Ralph Menconi. It shows a bust of Churchill facing on obverse and on reverse the royal arms of the United Kingdom and the seal of the United States symbolizing him as a friend and honorary citizen of the United States. I he book finishes with the ill received Churchill Crown of 1965 which carries a controversial portrait of Sir Winston. The author must be congratulated on a well done numismatic biography of the great English leader.

Mr. Grunthal is Curator, American NumismaticSociety.