Medal - Kevin G. Lafond City of Portsmouth

The below is from a document stored with the copper version of this token at the Portsmouth Athenaeum in Portsmouth, New Hampshire:

The idea for the medals/tokens started earlier this year [2023]. Portsmouth's previous celebrations in 1923 and 1973 had medals/tokens produced and it was decided that 2023 should not be over-looked. The overall design was sort of a new take on the 1896 Manchester, NH tokens that were a combination City celebration and merchant advertising.

The design components were decided upon by Kevin Lafond with advice and input from Richard “Dick” Dolloff and Sam Allen, while Ryan Waters at Alpha-Graphics in Portsmouth prepared the artwork. On the obverse, the gundalow was chosen to pay homage to Portsmouth's shipbuilding past and maritime commerce. The gundalow was a shallow draft barge with a sail that plied the seacoast waters during the 18th and 19th centuries to conduct trade. The actual design was based on a photograph of the “Edward H. Adams.” The strawberry vine and fruit honors Strawbery Banke, so named because of the abundance of strawberries found on the banks of the Piscataqua River. The design for the strawberry vine and fruit was recycled from Portsmouth's 1973 “Collector's Medal” produced by Dick Dolloff. Finally, the City of Portsmouth is in the distance with the spire of the North Church visible.

A different obverse design depicting Portsmouth's tugboats was also produced and considered. However, the trusted mentors mentioned above noted that the alternate design was rather “busy” and wouldn't strike up well as there was little open space around the central design element.

The reverse lists Lafond's hobby along with contact information. The design and content were based on a token issued by Portsmouth numismatist William P. Young in 1902.

The production of the tokens was handled by Coin-USA of Melborne [sic], FL. (an interesting sidenote is that the manager at Coin-USA is a Portsmouth native and took a special interest in the project) [sic]. Then actual production was in Germany for Coin-USA. The tokens were produced in a limited quantity – 150 in pure copper (7 numbered), 25 in .9999 silver (7 numbered), and 1 in .9999 gold.

(Document images courtesy of Kevin G. Lafond)