The Sherlock Holmes Centennial Art Medal Collection: An Update – 4 Medals!

“I have just made a discovery of the highest importance …”

– A Study In Scarlet (STUD)

Back in January, we published a HolmeWork assignment asking for more information about the Sherlock Holmes Centennial Art Medal Collection that was advertised back in 1986-87. You can read that post here and a follow up post showing the order form here.

At that time, we reported that it was believed that only one of the proposed 12 or 72 medals were struck – that one being the Sherlock Holmes design pictured above. We have now received a photograph (of poor quality, however) that shows 4 medals in the series.

Going from left to right, we see medals for Professor James Moriarty, John H. Watson, M.D., the Sherlock Holmes coat of arms and the original Sherlock Holmes medal we previously discussed.  All of these medals share the common reverse design of the Newcastle Mint logo.

In pure speculation on my part, I believe that the order of issuance was: (1) Holmes, (2) Watson, (3) Moriarty and (4) the coat of arms. The quality of the design has improved after the first medal.  It seems logical that the Watson medal would be the next after the Holmes medal. The coat of arms design would be the least appealing of the four designs for marketing purposes.

Here are descriptions for the four medals:

Sherlock Holmes

OBVERSE: CENTENNIAL 1886 – 1986/ (bust of Sherlock Holmes, facing left, wearing deerstalker hat and with pipe) / SHERLOCK HOLMES

REVERSE: NEWCASTLE MINT / (Newcastle Mint logo) / (rectangular box where serial number is engraved) / LIMITED EDITION

30mm, .999 Silver, Round

John H. Watson, M.D.

OBVERSE: (bust of Watson, facing right) / JOHN H. WATSON, M.D.

REVERSE: NEWCASTLE MINT / (Newcastle Mint logo) / (rectangular box where serial number is engraved) / LIMITED EDITION

30mm, .999 Silver, Round

Professor James Moriarty

OBVERSE: (bust of Moriarty, facing right) / PROFESSOR JAMES (symbol) MORIARTY

REVERSE: NEWCASTLE MINT / (Newcastle Mint logo) / (rectangular box where serial number is engraved) / LIMITED EDITION

30mm, .999 Silver, Round

Sherlock Holmes Coat of Arms

OBVERSE: SHERLOCK HOLMES COAT OF ARMS / (coat of arms)

REVERSE: NEWCASTLE MINT / (Newcastle Mint logo) / (rectangular box where serial number is engraved) / LIMITED EDITION

30mm, .999 Silver, Round

We are attempting to obtain better photographs of the three new designs.

Now, are there 7 other designs out there to complete the proposed 12 medal set??