Medal collectors abound in the Philippines, judging from the number of medals and medallions offered at the regular Bayanihan Collector auctions in Manila. Few, however, collect religious medals, as they are not exactly on top of the list of medal collectibles--military medals, historical medals and commemorative medals are way up there. Now that's good news for religious medal collectors! Not only are prices stable and affordable, vintage medals of the sacred kind are also plentiful. They come in all sorts--made of cheap plastic, aluminum, brass, silver, and even gold.
Most common religious medals are those that mark feast days and anniversaries of saints (Virgen de La Naval, 400 years of Sto. Nino of Cebu), important religious events (e.g. National Eucharistic Congress). There are also souvenir medals from pilgrim sites (Shrine of our Lady of Lourdes, Fatima) and also celebrate the sacraments (Communion medals). Perhaps, the most well-known medal in the Philippines is Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, the design of which was based on a vision by the French saint, Catherine Laboure.
Considered as sacramentals, religious medals are staples of Manila thrift shops and are regular offerings at the Greenhills Antique and Collectible shows. For the lazy shopper, there are local dealers on ebay Philippines that sell such medals too. The most sought after are the old medals showing the likenesses of Virgen de La Naval, or Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, patroness of the Philippines. Medals of the Nazareno and the Virgen de Antipolo are also prized. Medals, which contain relics, command higher prizes, as well as medals of gold and silver, as in the silver medals struck for the 1937 International Eucharistic Congress held in the Philippines.
Medals are best displayed in shadow boxes, or kept in plastic cases. I chose to show off mine in a tin glass-panelled urna inspired by those antique Mexican retablo cases. I hope I get a medal for creativity!
Fresh from my Kamuning thrift shopping comes this memento of Gemma Cruz's Miss International triumph in Long Beach. The first ever global beauty winner from the Philippines, Gemma redefined the Filipina beauty stereotype with her victory; after all, she had distinct Malayan looks (mestizas like Lalaine Bennett and Josephine Estrada were the rage at that time) and was a woman of culture and intellect (she played the nose flute in the local contest and was already working at the National Museum). To top it all, she had a national hero--Dr. Jose Rizal, no less, as a relative!
Shamcey Supsup's recent Miss Universe 3rd runner up win also has interesting parallels with Gemma's Miss International experience. Soothsayers predicted that she will be a "thank you, girl", while others talk of the so-called "UP curse" that plagued brainy UP winners of Bb. Pilipinas Universe--all losers in the contest. Like Gemma, Shamcey left with little publicity. Like Gemma, she came back to an adoring nation, was paraded, serenaded and even met Pres. Noynoy. Shamcey seems to have it all for now...but like Gemma, will she have her own special music sheet entitled "My Wonderful Universe Is You?". I wonder.
On 2 February 1953, Princess Elizabeth was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ceylon, and Pakistan, and named as Head of the Commonwealth after her father's death, the late King George VI, on 2 June 1952. Over eight thousand invited guests attended the historic coronation at the Westminster Abbey. Commemorative souvenirs were made by the hundreds of thousand to mark the ascension of a new monarch--and this very nice coloring book was just one example produced in the U.S. The Coronation Coloring Book has the painted portait of the new Queen on the front cover, while inside, there are pages and pages of illustrations of the various stages of coronation for kids to color.
This second example is an unauthorized 50s edition paint book that features generic coronation scenes, obviously capitalizing on the Queen Elizabeth fever. It is a thin book, made in Britain, and most likely cost a pence or so. Royal commemoratives are making a comeback after the recent wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleston this year. They may have mugs, plates, tea sets, key chains and coins--but did they have coloring books? I bet none!
The Lady who would be Queen--Elizabeth Alexandra, age 25--finally assumed the throne as the Queen of the British Empire on 2 June 1953--after a year after his father, King George VI, passed away due to lung cancer. Hers was the first televised coronation in TV history, with stately ceremonies held at the Westminster Abbey. Many commemorative items were made as souvenirs of the historic event, and mass produced items included plates, books, figurines, household wares such as this now 50-year-old-plus mug. Made of ironstone, it bears the profile of the new monarch, who continues to reign today with her royal family that includes Prince Charles, the heir apparent, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Let's drink to Queen Liz's long and royal reign!
Posts
