October 22, 2015 – On November 19, the Museum of American Finance, New York, will open “Worth Its Weight: Gold from the Ground Up,” an exhibit that will captivate visitors with the many spectacular and unexpected ways gold has influenced our lives – from science and technology to entertainment and pop culture to finance and economics. The exhibit will be featured in three galleries and the Museum’s theater and will be on view through December 2016.
Gold coin of Augustus, from a rare 12 Caesars collection, courtesy of Thomas Tesoriero. Photograph: Alex Marincescu.
“We are excited to showcase more than 100 stunning gold objects from over a dozen public and private collections in this unique exhibit on Wall Street,” said David Cowen, the Museum’s president.
1880 gold mining vignette by the American Bank Note Co., courtesy of Mark D. Tomasko.
The “Gold in America” gallery will feature three subject areas – Gold Rushes, Finance and Mining & Refining – exploring how the story of gold is intimately intertwined with American history. “The Many Faces of Gold” section will showcase vignettes about the myriad uses for gold and its meaning around the world, including how the concept of “gold” has become a symbol of “the best.”
1940s Tiffany jewelry suite, courtesy of the Tiffany & Co. Archives.
The most familiar relationship people have with gold is through jewelry and adornment. The “Jewelry Box” room will focus on the luxury and glamour of gold jewelry and décor, with several unique objects on loan from collections around the country including the Smithsonian Institution, the Tiffany & Co. Archives and jewelry designer Marla Aaron. The “Midas Touch” room will feature the creations of Sidney Mobell, a modern day Midas who transforms everyday items into dazzling gold and jeweled artworks, challenging the relationship between the mundane and the luxurious.
18-karat gold and jewel encrusted Monopoly set by Sidney Mobell, courtesy of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
“The 17 objects designed by world-renowned jeweler Sidney Mobell – from an 18-karat gold Monopoly set to a diamond, ruby and sapphire encrusted cell phone – are unique works of art that will bring a lot of pleasure to the visiting public,” said Cowen.
Gold coin of Titus, from a rare 12 Caesars collection, courtesy of Thomas Tesoriero. Photograph: Alex Marincescu.
“Worth Its Weight” is sponsored by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and Sidney Mobell, with additional support from the International Precious Metals Institute (IPMI), Van Eck Gold Funds and Loomis. The exhibit is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.
More information on this exhibit can be found here.
If you are interested to learn more about the American gold rush, you might want to read our article ‘Gold!’.
And here you can find out more about a 2014 gold find that has triggered a modern-day gold rush.