NNP

Calendar Medal.  A medallic item in which a calendar of one or more months (usually 6 or 12) is incorporated into the design. First issued in the 17th century, thousands of different design calendar medals have been issued throughout the world since then. Calendar medals in series are currently issued each year by the national mints of Austria, Japan, France and private mints elsewhere including the U.S. Themes for these medals have, of course, included zodiac astrological symbols, sundials, hour glasses and such obvious devices. Calendar medals are omitted from some national medal catalogs because, somewhat, of their ephemeral nature, but this is part of their charm to collectors, which consider them as important a topic to collect as any other.

Perpetual calendar medals include a movable part to adjust a monthly chart for any of a large number of years in the past or future. These are classed with shell medals because they are made as separate diestruck shells that are assembled and attached with a center rivet that allows the separate pieces to rotate. Often there is a diecut (pierced) window in the outer piece that allows data from the central wheel to show through.

excerpted with permission from

An Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Technology

For Artists, Makers, Collectors and Curators

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY D. WAYNE JOHNSON

Roger W. Burdette, Editor