User:BearCreek70/sandbox/FAO Ceres Medals

= FAO Ceres Medals =

General Information
FAO issued collector medals in 1965 and in 1970 for the 20th and 25th anniversary of their founding. Following successful sales of these medals, the FAO considered how to offer more collectable art medals to the public. These medals were to promote FAO goals and resulting sales income would help fund their projects. It was quickly decided to issue a common themed series of medals with appropriate images. In 1971 FAO introduced the “Ceres medals” as its first medal series. The FAO’s decision and reasoning are discussed in the Money and Medals Programme newsletter.

“Because of the great demand for the medal among FAO staff, we then decided to issue a medal annually, one side illustrating a major event in FAO's history for the year concerned, and the other featuring a contemporary person as Ceres, the Roman Goddess of Agriculture.” further “The primary purpose of these medals is to associate humane and distinguished women with FAO's Food for All goal, thus underline the oft forgotten role of women in nutrition and actual farm production.

Here, Ceres is described as a Roman goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility and motherly relationships. These words bring to mind the very mission of the FAO that was to be communicated in these medals.

Ceres Medals - 1st Series - The First 30
In 1971 FAO began issuing Ceres medals for sale to the public. The initial concept was to produce one medal per year, but the schedule was quickly accelerated such that 30 medals were created and marketed by January 1976. The medals were produced quickly and from multiple minting facilities. The order of release for sale to the public has not been documented. Production and sales data e.g., number made, sold, or melted has not been located.

The April 1972 issue of the Numismatist mentions the FAO’s Ceres announcement. The Numismatist described the Sophia Loren medal but interestingly contains a sketch of a medal that was never produced. However, the announcement clearly states the drawing is a concept.

Ceres medals were issued individually and later in sets. Medals were made throughout the world at various mints. Ceres medals were made of aluminum, bronze, gilded-bronze, silver, and gold. Production information is scarce and all Ceres medals are unnumbered.

Medals were offered to the collecting public through periodically published newsletters and catalogs. Examples include:


 * International Women’s Year (announced in The Numismatist in July 1975.)


 * Ceres Medals, Second Edition, June 1976 (blue booklet in image).


 * Rural Women’s Advancement FAO Medals, Third Edition, March 1979 (red booklet in image).

The FAO announced the completion of these first 30 medals in January 1976. Once all medals were available, the FAO offered complete sets in both silver and bronze through the issue of CERES Medal Panels. Each panel containing 5 medals.