This medal belongs to the Hall of Fame for Great Americans Series, sponsored by New York University. In 1962 a coalition was formed to sponsor and market fine art medals to honor famous Americans. The coalition consisted of New York University, the National Sculpture Society, the Medallic Art Company, and the Coin and Currency Institute. Over the next 13 years, 96 medals were created. The Thoreau medal was sculpted by Malvina Hoffman and issued in 1963.

The medal's size is 1 3/4-inch, it weighs 2 ounces, and it is .999 pure silver. It is also serially numbered. The obverse is a relief bust of Thoreau (which shows some wear), and the adverse depicts a Walden Pond scene with the words, Hall of Fame for Great Americans at New York University, and the quote, "Only that day dawns to which we are awake." The condition is very good.