SOM#128, Don Everhart, Dinosaurs!, The Fossil Record, 1994

From the collection of John Birks

Number issued: 200 Bronze

THE FOSSIL COLLECTION
by Joseph Veach Noble, Executive Director of the Society of Medalists

It is an interesting phenomenon that the dinosaurs that were the largest animals on the face of the earth, and probably the most ferocious, should be so popular today. Although they became extinct many millions of years ago, nearly everyone, young and old, are fascinated by them. Movies, television, books and toys bring them back to life in our times.

When, in 1993, The Society of Medalists released our 125th issue, the "Dinosaur" Medal by Don Everhart, it instantly became very popular. Accordingly, it seemed appropriate that the Society do something that it had never done before, namely, issue a set of medals based on a single theme. Therefore, we asked Don Everhart, who had created the superb Tyrannosaurus rex Medal, to sculpt additional medals of four other dinosaurs and a flying reptile so that all six would be made available to collectors as a collection.

Each unique, irregular shaped medal is struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company, each measuring at least four inches in size at its greatest length. The obverse features the dinosaur in its pre-historic natural environment and the reverse depicts the same creature's fossilized skeleton. Don Everhart has gone to great effort to present the individual dinosaurs as accurately as learned paleontologists have been able to reconstruct them from their fossil remains. The text that accompanies the series gives a comprehensive description of each dinosaur.

Because of the complexities of this project, The Society of Medalists has been willing to modify another one of its procedures; to allow an individual sculptor to create another medal in the series sooner than an interval of ten years has passed. The superb results justify these changes in procedure. The six golden-hued bronze medals fitted in their red velvet-lined display case, are an outstanding collection of the art of the medal.

Don Everhart is one of the leading medalists in America, and he has been recognized for his artistry and leadership by serving as the President of the American Medallic Sculpture Association for the term 1992-94. He began his artistic career as an illustrator, then worked as a Sculptor-in-Residence at the Franklin Mint. In 1980 he established his own studio and he now has been elected as a Sculptor Member of the prestigious National Sculpture Society.

SCULPTOR'S BIOGRAPHY
Don Everhart

Born in York, Pennsylvania in 1949, Don has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Katztown State University. He was a Sculptor-in-Residence at the Franklin Mint from 1974-1980. His works include "The Dance of the Dolphins", 1982 Art Medal for the Society of Medalists; coin designs for the US Constitution Bicentennial for the US Treasury Department in 1987; Georgetown University Bicentennial Medal - 1988; Brookgreen Gardens Art Medal "Hermit Crab" - 1991; "Sea Life", 1993 Calendar Art Medal, Medallic Art Company; "Dinosaurs, The Fossil Record", Art Medal for the Society of Medalists - 1993; "Jungle Life", 1994; "Dinosaurs!", A Series of 6 Prehistoric Fossil Art Medals for the Society of Medalists - 1994; Twenty-two installed bronzes for Georgetown University Athletic Hall of Fame, Washington, DC.

Don is a past president of the American Medallic Sculpture Association, and his work was exhibited at the 1992, 23rd World Exposition of The Federation Internationale de la Medaille at the British Museum, London. His work was also exhibited in 1994 in Budapest, at the National Museum as part of the 24th FIDEM World Exposition.