Jewish-American Hall of Fame medals issued from 1969 to 2019 have found homes in collections and museums around the world, becoming the longest continuing series of nongovernment art medals currently being issued in the world.

Now, for the first time, biographies of the more than 50 Jewish-American Hall of Fame inductees have been compiled, to match with those portrait medals created by leading medalists, many of whom have won the prestigious Numismatic Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture (presented by the American Numismatic Association), and the American Numismatic Society’s J. Sanford Saltus Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Art of the Medal.

This published book, written by Mel Wacks, founder of the Jewish-American Hall of Fame, also includes back stories of the medals, including correspondence with the medalists and preliminary art work, adding to the appreciation of the final works of art.

Mintages and mints are indicated for the benefit of collectors. In addition, the reader will find pictures and mintage data for over three dozen special medals commissioned by the Jewish-American Hall of Fame.

On the back cover, noted medal collector and scholar Donald Scarinci writes: “For those who are interested in American history, culture, art and science, the Jewish-American Hall of Fame medals form a gallery of great Americans.”

Accordingly, the book features biographies about such honorees as physicist Albert Einstein, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, baseball hall of famer Hank Greenberg, magician Harry Houdini, Israel Prime Minister Golda Meir, newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, immunologist Jonas Salk, patriot Haym Salomon, entertainer Barbra Streisand, and many more.

The extensively illustrated book was designed by Lianna Spurrier under the sponsorship of the Newman Numismatic Portal.

It measures 8.5 inches wide and 11 inches tall and is 150 pages long.

The book is priced at $35 postpaid on Amazon.com. Collectors may order an autographed copy from the author by telephone at 818-225-1348.