All Medals

The medallion's obverse bears sailor in heavy gear at helm of ship. Around, MARINE NATIONAL EXCHANGE BANK OF MILWAUKEE / 100TH ANNIVERSARY; signed to left of sailor, (JFP monogram)

The reverse bears legend within wreath. At top, 1839 - 1939; below, WISCONSIN / MARINE & FIRE / INSURANCE CO. / 1839 / MARINE NATIONAL / BANK / 1900 / BANK / OF / MILWAUKEE / 1855 /  NATIONAL EXCHNQNGE / BANK / 1865 / CONSOLIDATED AS / MARINE NATIONAL / EXCHANGE BANK / of MILWAUKEE / 1930

The Marine National Exchange Bank of Milwaukee was formed in 1930 through the merger of four different companies, the oldest of which traced its roots back to 1839.  While I am totally speculating, I assume that the merger was a necessity rather than a choice. The Great Depression had just started a year earlier and many financial institutions had come under intense pressure to consolidate or go bankrupt. The Marine National Exchange Bank was finally taken over by Bank One in 1988, not quite making it to its 150th anniversary as an independent entity.

The circular medallion measures 82.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Whitehead & Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey.

The medal's obverse bears medallic rendition of John Trumbull's painting "The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill," showing General Warren on the ground, held by a fellow Colonial, with British troops closing in from the right. Around top, BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL; at bottom, 1775.

The reverse bears view of the Bunker Hill memorial obelisk. To its left, TO / COMMEMORATE / THE / 150TH ANNIVERSARY / OF THE / BATTLE OF / BUNKER HILL / 1775 - 1925; signed around lower left, KILENYI

The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17th, 1775. Two days earlier, the leaders of the colonial forces besieging Boston learned that the British were planning to send troops out from the city to fortify the unoccupied hills surrounding the city, which would give them control of Boston Harbor. In response, 1,200 colonial troops under the command of William Prescott stealthily occupied Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. During the night, the colonists constructed a strong redoubt on Breed's Hill, as well as smaller fortified lines across the Charlestown Peninsula.

By daybreak of June 17, the British became aware of the presence of colonial forces on the Peninsula and mounted an attack against them that day. Two assaults on the colonial positions were repulsed with significant British casualties; the third and final attack carried the redoubt after the defenders ran out of ammunition. The colonists retreated to Cambridge over Bunker Hill, leaving the British in control of the Peninsula.

While the British won the battle, they lost over a thousand men, more than 100 of them officers. General Clinton, echoing Pyrrhus of Epirus, remarked in his diary that "A few more such victories would have shortly put an end to British dominion in America."

My instance of the medal is dedicated on the edge to the colorful Boston mayor James Michael Curley. I don't know whether all instances are thus marked or whether my instance was Curley's personal medal.

The circular medal measures 76.1mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Whitehead-Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey.  No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears conjoined busts of Walter H. Beech and Olive Ann Beech.  Around top, BEECHCRAFT LEGION OF HONOR; to left and right of busts, WALTER H. / BEECH - O. A. / BEECH; around bottom, 1932 CO-FOUNDERS / Beech Aircraft Corporation

The reverse bears (B Beech Aircraft logo). Around top, FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE; below logo, AWARDED TO

This medal is a reworking of an earlier Beechcraft medal celebrating the company's 25th anniversary.

The medal was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1966-070

References:   MACo 1936-027, Marqusee 411

The uniface emblem bears laurel-crowned, helmeted head in center field. Around, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

This little emblem is probably a trial cast that goes with Manship's designs for World War I decorations. It is a small, convex, shield that was probably designed to go in the center of a cross that would have been suspended from the devices pinned to the uniform or worn on a ribbon. The Smithsonian collection has a piece that shows a very similar device affixed to a cross.

The circular emblem measures 36.6mm in diameter.

The medallion's obverse bears allegorical female figure, facing, standing with outstretched arms above the carnage waged by masses of soldiers, airplanes, zeppelins, tanks and artillery; fire and smoke engulfing buildings and fortifications. In exergue, · FROM · THE · PEOPLE · OF · THE · / · UNITED · STATES · / · TO · THE · / · CITY · OF · VERDUN ·

The reverse bears twin-towered citadel of Verdun within laurel wreath, female figure bearing sword and sheaf of wheat flying above. On streamer below citadel, · ILS · NE · PASSERONT · PAS ·

The Battle of Verdun lasted from 21 February to 18 December 1916. For 303 days French and German forces battled back and forth, waging the longest and one of the most costly battles in human history. An estimate in 2000 found a total of 714,231 casualties, 377,231 French and 337,000 German, for an average of 70,000 casualties a month; other recent estimates increase the number of casualties to 976,000 during the battle, with 1,250,000 suffered at Verdun during the entire war. In the end, the German advance fell short and the citadel of Verdun became the symbol of a bloody defensive victory.

Congress authorized a special gold medal honoring the sacrifice of the citizens of the French city of Verdun during World War I. The Commission of Fine Arts held a limited competition for medal designs in early 1920, and this medal is one of Paul Manship’s proposed designs.  The other alternative design is called The Defence of Verdun Medallion; notice the british spelling variant of "defence".

While the medal is beautiful and the war imagery is powerful, Manship clearly fell back on his allegorical figure of America from the earlier French Heroes' Fund medal.  The battle of Verdun largely predates America's entry into World War I and such a prominent display of America on a medal dedicated to commemorate the suffering and spirit of the French people was probably not seen as a good idea.

The French phrase on the reverse translates to the famous slogan that became associated with the battle of Verdun: "They shall not pass!"

The circular medal measures 103mm in diameter and was cast in bronze.

The obverse bears bust of Edward H. Harriman facing l. torch to his left. Above, (rosette) EDWARD H HARRIMAN MEMORIAL MEDAL (rosette); across bust, AWARDED - BY THE / AMERICAN - MUSEUM / OF SAFETY - TO; inscribed under bust, ATLANTIC COAST LINE RAILROAD COMPANY / GROUP A RAILROAD; signed at right, JEF monogram

The reverse bears railroad man on tracks near signal, wearing cloak and carrying signal flag and lanterns. At left, FOR THE / UTMOST / PROGRESS; at right, IN SAFETY / AND / ACCIDENT / PREVENTION

Edward Henry ("Ned") Harriman made a career of rebuilding bankrupt railroads. At age 50 he became director of the Union Pacific Railroad. A year later he was chairman of the executive board and another five years later he was president of the company. At the time of his death in 1909 he controlled the Union Pacific, the Southern Pacific, the Saint Joseph and Grand Island, the Illinois Central, the Central of Georgia, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and the Wells Fargo Express Company.

With the explosive growth in railroads around the beginning of the 20th century, accidents became an ever larger concern to the industry and to the public. In 1913 Edward Harriman's widow, who had inherited her husband's entire estate, sponsored this medal to encourage the young industry to pay more attention to the safety of its employees.

The American Museum of Safety presented medals in gold, silver, and bronze to railroads in three groups of line-haul carriers and a fourth group of switching and terminal companies for attaining the best employee safety records during the preceding year.

This medal measures 70mm in diameter. Early versions were struck by Tiffany and Co. in bronze, silver, and gold; later versions by the Medallic Art Company. The mintages are not reported.

References:   Baxter 233, MACo 1914-012, Marqusee 161

The obverse bears softly modeled and beautiful head of Victory (r.), wearing helmet decorated with the lilies of France, the oak leaves of Britain and the pine of the United States. Around, TO COMMEMORATE THE VISIT TO NEW YORK - OF THE FRENCH AND BRITISH WAR COMMISSIONS 1917; signed on collar, D C FRENCH.

The reverse bears allegorical group of three figures. On the right, standing figure of female Liberty holding sword, greeting figures of Joan of Arc and medieval knight representing France and England. Signed at lower right, E.B.LONGMAN / SC. 1917.

The medal is numbered and edge-marked MEDALLIC ART CO. N Y.

The United States officially entered World War I in 1917 and quickly tried to coordinate the war effort with the the European allies. The French and British delegations were first to arrive and were given a spectacular reception. New York mayor John Purroy Mitchel had put together a Committee of Reception that was in charge of organizing the event. As part of the activities, the committee and the American Numismatic Association (ANS) teamed up to issue this commemorative medal. They engaged Daniel Chester French and Evelyn Longman to design the two sides of the medal. Evelyn Longman was one of French's students and the first woman sculptor to be elected a full member of the National Academy of Design in 1919.

Barbara Baxter considers this medal one of French's "most outstanding pieces," the other one being his American Red Cross medal.

This is the 34th official issue of the American Numismatic Society. The medal measures 63.4mm (2.5in) and was struck in bronze, silver and gold by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The mintage is 5 in gold, 109 in silver and 171 in bronze.

Many thanks to the Yale University Art Gallery for permission to use their images of the bronze variant.

References:   ANS 34, Baxter 317, MACo 1917-013, Marqusee 180

References:   BG 34