Owner Comments:
MEDAL APPEARANCE/CONDITION:
Antiqued Silver Variety - Choice Brilliant Gem
Pedigreed: #949 (949th Medal Minted; Noted on Edge of Medal - Slabbed in Double-Thick Holder)
*An absolutely brilliant untoned choice gem example of the scarcer silver variety. A near perfect strike with phenomenal overall detail. 2nd finest known example graded. — Matches its bronze counterpart of the same design which is also included in this collection; 2 examples at NGC MS-65.*
MEDAL BACKGROUND:
Recognizes the centennial of the Colorado Cattlemen's Association. The reverse also notes the success of 'a century of progress in the livestock industry.
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The reason 2 bronze examples are included in this collection was for grading attempt purposes. At different points in time, both were purchased raw. I submitted the first for grading with NGC which came back MS-65. Subsequently, I stumbled across another the example shown here which appeared to be at least MS-68. Since the silver variety in this collection is graded MS-68, my attempt was to acquire an MS-68 bronze example. To my unfortunate dismay, it also came back MS-65 by NGC. The one positive aspect that came of this is being able to compare the two examples in identical grades.
RARITY: Unknown; Likely Rare (Examples are much more difficult to come by than the bronze issue)
(NGC Pop = 1; 1 Finer - NGC Total Pop = 2): [04/2022)
**NOTE: As of January 2022, this example was at the top of NGC’s population report. Sometime between January and April of 2022, an example was graded MS-69, making this the second finest known to be graded.
MEDAL DESCRIPTION:
(Medallic Art Company, N.Y., Antiqued .999 Silver, 38mm, Round, Plain/Lettered Edge)
OBVERSE: Colorado Cattlemen’s Association Centennial / (CCA Emblem of a Texas Longhorn) / 1867-1967
REVERSE: A Century of Progress in the Livestock Industry - 1867-1967 / Shorthorn - Charolais - Scotch Richland - Polled Hereford - Hereford - Aberdeen - Shorthorn
EDGE: Medallic Art Co. N.Y. / .999 Pure Silver / 949
**The obverse depicts the horns & skull of a Texas Longhorn. The reverse depicts the head of a Hereford.**
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
“The Colorado Cattlemen's Association was founded in 1867, nine years before Colorado became a state. It became the first statewide cattlemen's association in the nation and has been operating ever since. It was instrumental in the formation of the National Western Stock Show (1899), Colorado Brand Board (1902), the Colorado Beef Council (1956) and the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust (1995).” — Credited Source: Colorado Cattlemen’s Association (https://www.coloradocattle.org/about)