45th anniversary medal to the Armenian community of Fresno, 1991 - Bronze
Identifier
ANRO-1718
Reference Description
Obverse: The obverse of the medal celebrates the 45th anniversary of the Fresno Numismatic Society, with the inscription "45th ANNIVERSARY 1946-1991" at the top. The central design features a depiction of the statue of David of Sassoon, a legendary Armenian hero, symbolizing the Armenian heritage in Fresno. Below the statue, the inscription reads "HONORING FRESNO'S ARMENIAN HERITAGE." The artist's signature "Varaz" is also present.
Reverse: The reverse features the outline of the state of California, with a star marking the location of Fresno. The inscription reads "FRESNO NUMISMATIC SOCIETY" along the top edge, with the text "THE HOBBY OF COINS, CURRENCY AND MEDALS" on the right side of the state outline. Below, it reads "A.N.A. 1277" and "C.S.N.A. 796," referencing the American Numismatic Association and the California State Numismatic Association, respectively. The bottom of the reverse is inscribed with "ORGANIZED 1946."
Specifications: Gold plated bronze, 38mm, 22.12g
Artist / Engraver:
Mint: Pressed Metal Products of Vancouver
Edge: Plain
Mintage:
Reference:
Image shown: ANRO Collection inv. no.
Reverse: The reverse features the outline of the state of California, with a star marking the location of Fresno. The inscription reads "FRESNO NUMISMATIC SOCIETY" along the top edge, with the text "THE HOBBY OF COINS, CURRENCY AND MEDALS" on the right side of the state outline. Below, it reads "A.N.A. 1277" and "C.S.N.A. 796," referencing the American Numismatic Association and the California State Numismatic Association, respectively. The bottom of the reverse is inscribed with "ORGANIZED 1946."
Specifications: Gold plated bronze, 38mm, 22.12g
Artist / Engraver:
Mint: Pressed Metal Products of Vancouver
Edge: Plain
Mintage:
Reference:
Image shown: ANRO Collection inv. no.
Notes
Nercessian, Armen Y. “A Medal Honoring Fresno’s Armenian Community.” Armenian Numismatic Journal, vol. 18, no. 2, June 1992, p. pp 35-36.
In commemoration of its 45th anniversary the Fresno Numismatic Society, founded in 1946, has issued silver and gold plated bronze medals dedicated to the Armenian community of Fresno. Fresno's Armenian community is one of the oldest in America and the members of that community have contributed both as individuals and as a community to not only Fresno and California but to the United States and the greater Armenian population.
Interestingly, Armenian immigration into America began in 1618 when Martin the Armenian came to Jamestown, Virginia, as a member of the Virginia Company of London. In 1653 George the Armenian and another, both of whom had "a high reputation in their native land for their skill and experience in raising silk worm," also arrived. However, the first mass immigration to America began when Armenians arrived spo- radically from Constantinople and Western Armenia during the nineteenth century. This was due to the work of American missionaries in the Ottoman Empire. They usu- ally came to America as single individuals, usually to attend college or seminary and few actually settled.2 A new wave of immigrants came because of the Turkish persecu- tions before World War I, during the time of the massacre of 300,000 Armenians in the Ottoman Empire from 1894 to 1896 under Sultan Abdul Hamid II.3 More than 4,000 came each year to the United States during that time. Another group followed the 1909 mas- sacre of 30,000 Armenians in Adana, Cilicia, which prepared the way for the Armenian Genocide of 1915.4 These immigrants usually travelled in family units and settled per- manently in the United States. During World War I Armenians that survived the Genocide, but were otherwise displaced, came to the United States. As of June, 1917, 55,057 Armenians immigrated to the United States. By 1923, communities established themselves in New York, Fresno, Boston, Worchester, Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, West Hoboken, Jersey City, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Providence, Saint Louis, San Francisco, Lowell, Lawrence, Lynn, Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven.5 California around the Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley became the great center for the Armenian community in America.
The first Armenians to settle in Fresno were Hagop and Garabed Seropian in 1881. They opened a general store and eventually entered the fruit packing business. As a consequence of their letters, 40 Armenians left Marsovan, the Seropian's hometown, in 1883 and settled in the San Joaquin Valley. Yet Armenians arrived not only from their ancient communities in Asia Minor but also from the East Coast, being lured to the area because of its similarity in climate and fertility to the Armenian countryside. However, by 1894 there were an estimated 360 Armenians in Fresno. This was to rise dramatically to an estimated 3,000 as a result of the Hamidian massacres.
In Fresno, those with money invested in land or opened businesses. Others worked as manual laborers. Nevertheless, because of their business acumen and work ethic the Armenians in and around Fresno achieved considerable success by the time of World War I. Besides owning many businesses in town, they also helped pioneer many of the agricultural enterprises of the area, notably in the grape and raisin industry, but also the animal and poultry, hay, Armenian cucumber, watermelon, berry, and even tobacco industries.
There has been cases of prejudice towards Armenian immigrants and Armenians have been mistreated and discriminated against like other minority groups. The most significant case of discrimination on a national level is evidenced by the case of the United States vs. Cartozian, when the United States sued for the annulment of the natu- ralization papers of Tatos O. Cartozian in 1925 because Armenians were of Asiatic des- cent. On July 27, 1925, in Portland, Oregon, District Court Judge C. Wolverton, after hearing anthropologists and historians, allowed Cartozian and Armenians to be natu- ralized because they were of European Alpine descent. Most other overt cases of racial discrimination take place in Fresno. Armenians were prohibited from owning land through covenants incorporated to the deed, and Fresno's Armenians were also excluded from certain social groups and churches. 10 Discrimination also included insulting and derogatory ethnic stereotypes imposed on the population.
However, currently much has changed. The population of Armenians in America approaches nearly a million, and the population of Armenians in Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley area is somewhere near 40,000. Nevertheless, the Greater Los Angeles area has supplanted Fresno as the dominant Armenian center. Yet at the Fresno County Courthouse, by the intersection of Tulare and M streets, the bronze statue of the legendary Armenian folk hero David of Sassoun (Sassountzi Davit) was erected in honor of the contribution of the Armenians to the city's history. The statue was executed in 1970 by sculptor Varaz Samuelian, an inhabitant of Fresno who moved from his native Yerevan, Armenia as a consequence of World War II.
In commemoration of its 45th anniversary the Fresno Numismatic Society, founded in 1946, has issued silver and gold plated bronze medals dedicated to the Armenian community of Fresno. Fresno's Armenian community is one of the oldest in America and the members of that community have contributed both as individuals and as a community to not only Fresno and California but to the United States and the greater Armenian population.
Interestingly, Armenian immigration into America began in 1618 when Martin the Armenian came to Jamestown, Virginia, as a member of the Virginia Company of London. In 1653 George the Armenian and another, both of whom had "a high reputation in their native land for their skill and experience in raising silk worm," also arrived. However, the first mass immigration to America began when Armenians arrived spo- radically from Constantinople and Western Armenia during the nineteenth century. This was due to the work of American missionaries in the Ottoman Empire. They usu- ally came to America as single individuals, usually to attend college or seminary and few actually settled.2 A new wave of immigrants came because of the Turkish persecu- tions before World War I, during the time of the massacre of 300,000 Armenians in the Ottoman Empire from 1894 to 1896 under Sultan Abdul Hamid II.3 More than 4,000 came each year to the United States during that time. Another group followed the 1909 mas- sacre of 30,000 Armenians in Adana, Cilicia, which prepared the way for the Armenian Genocide of 1915.4 These immigrants usually travelled in family units and settled per- manently in the United States. During World War I Armenians that survived the Genocide, but were otherwise displaced, came to the United States. As of June, 1917, 55,057 Armenians immigrated to the United States. By 1923, communities established themselves in New York, Fresno, Boston, Worchester, Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, West Hoboken, Jersey City, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Providence, Saint Louis, San Francisco, Lowell, Lawrence, Lynn, Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven.5 California around the Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley became the great center for the Armenian community in America.
The first Armenians to settle in Fresno were Hagop and Garabed Seropian in 1881. They opened a general store and eventually entered the fruit packing business. As a consequence of their letters, 40 Armenians left Marsovan, the Seropian's hometown, in 1883 and settled in the San Joaquin Valley. Yet Armenians arrived not only from their ancient communities in Asia Minor but also from the East Coast, being lured to the area because of its similarity in climate and fertility to the Armenian countryside. However, by 1894 there were an estimated 360 Armenians in Fresno. This was to rise dramatically to an estimated 3,000 as a result of the Hamidian massacres.
In Fresno, those with money invested in land or opened businesses. Others worked as manual laborers. Nevertheless, because of their business acumen and work ethic the Armenians in and around Fresno achieved considerable success by the time of World War I. Besides owning many businesses in town, they also helped pioneer many of the agricultural enterprises of the area, notably in the grape and raisin industry, but also the animal and poultry, hay, Armenian cucumber, watermelon, berry, and even tobacco industries.
There has been cases of prejudice towards Armenian immigrants and Armenians have been mistreated and discriminated against like other minority groups. The most significant case of discrimination on a national level is evidenced by the case of the United States vs. Cartozian, when the United States sued for the annulment of the natu- ralization papers of Tatos O. Cartozian in 1925 because Armenians were of Asiatic des- cent. On July 27, 1925, in Portland, Oregon, District Court Judge C. Wolverton, after hearing anthropologists and historians, allowed Cartozian and Armenians to be natu- ralized because they were of European Alpine descent. Most other overt cases of racial discrimination take place in Fresno. Armenians were prohibited from owning land through covenants incorporated to the deed, and Fresno's Armenians were also excluded from certain social groups and churches. 10 Discrimination also included insulting and derogatory ethnic stereotypes imposed on the population.
However, currently much has changed. The population of Armenians in America approaches nearly a million, and the population of Armenians in Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley area is somewhere near 40,000. Nevertheless, the Greater Los Angeles area has supplanted Fresno as the dominant Armenian center. Yet at the Fresno County Courthouse, by the intersection of Tulare and M streets, the bronze statue of the legendary Armenian folk hero David of Sassoun (Sassountzi Davit) was erected in honor of the contribution of the Armenians to the city's history. The statue was executed in 1970 by sculptor Varaz Samuelian, an inhabitant of Fresno who moved from his native Yerevan, Armenia as a consequence of World War II.
Files
Collection
Citation
“45th anniversary medal to the Armenian community of Fresno, 1991 - Bronze,” Armenian Numismatic Research Organization, accessed December 22, 2024, https://armnumres.org/items/show/1718.