Bronze medal

“ The Croix de Guerre is a beautiful medal in bronze, artistically designed and executed. It hangs suspended from a ribbon of striped red and green upon which are fastened the palms or stars for each particular citation given by the army or division. If any individual soldier is mentioned for an act of heroism in especial terms by an army order he is presented with an additional palm for each of such citations. Some of the French airmen have received so many citations that the medal itself would hang down below the waist if the ribbon were properly lengthened to accommodate every palm awarded. ”

“ Two new medals were struck for the war,—the Médaille Militaire and the Croix de Guerre. The Médaille is a round medal on a yellow ribbon of one class only, and is awarded to officers and soldiers alike for actual bravery on the field. The Croix de Guerre is a bronze cross on a green and red ribbon, and has three classes,—the Croix de Guerre d’Armée, which has a bronze palm on the ribbon, de Corps d’Armée, which has a bronze star on the ribbon, and de Division, which has a plain ribbon. ”

“ The Fabrication of Matrices for Medals. The craftsman who wishes to make medals of bronze or silver or gold after the manner of the ancients, must first with iron punches work in relief the faces of steel dies of which the metal has been softened piece by piece in the fire; as for example, the head alone in low relief, in a single steel die; and so with the other parts which are joined to it. Fashioned thus of steel, all the dies needed for the medal are tempered by fire ”

“ The standard of merit deserving that reward is essentially the same in all the armies of the civilized world, and the medal is made of iron or bronze, instead of anything more glittering or precious, to indicate the character of the deed it commemorates. ”

“ The ribbon of this medal is perhaps more frequently seen than that of any other British war medal except those for South Africa. In 1903 the medal was re-issued with the military effigy of King Edward VII. (as on the Ashanti, 1900, medal) on the obverse, and the date was omitted from the reverse. The medal is issued in bronze, without clasps, to followers. ”

“ The British government is far in advance in the system it has adopted for military decorations. A war medal is struck after every campaign, and given to every man who has shared in it, the soldiers receiving88 a silver medal, and the camp-followers, drivers, etc., a bronze one. ”

“ No specimen was available to this writer. None is found in the Museum of the American Numismatic Society in New York City. It is a unilateral bronze medal, measuring 64 millimeters in diameter, designed by the German artist. Ludwig Gies, whose initials L.G. appear on the obverse. It is one of the numerous “war medals” created by him in the beginning of the First World War. It depicts the act of capture. A German soldier is shown capturing and taking away a French, a Russian, an English, Belgian, Serbian, and a colonial native prisoner of war. ”

“ Atwot.—The bar inscribed ATWOT in English and Arabic was granted to all troops taking part, and the following non-combatants were entitled to the medal and bar in silver, who participated under the same conditions as the troops: Government Civil employees; engineers of steamers; Raises of steamers; Sheikhs; Armed Guides; whilst non-combatants, i.e. Civilian Syces of Officers, Civilian Servants of Officers, and Transport Drivers, were granted the medal in bronze without bar. ”

“ On the obverse, in the centre, in high relief, in gold, is a Lion, statant gardant, with a gold border, on which is inscribed in gold letters, HESPEINA AGRADECIDA. The whole within the Collar of the Golden Fleece, in bronze, the pendant Lamb being in gold. On the reverse, also in relief, within a laurel wreath of gold, SAN SEBASTIAN 5 DE MAYO in gold, having in the centre of a gold circle, 1836 in gold. The Cross, similar to that on the circular silver medal, is 11⁄20 in. in diameter, with a gold loop and gold ring for suspension. ”

“ Albert Medal (for saving life at sea) .—Instituted by Royal Warrant, 7th of March 1866. Gold oval badge, enamelled in dark blue, with a monogram composed of the letters V and A, interlaced with an anchor erect, all in gold, surrounded with a garter in bronze, inscribed in raised letters of gold “FOR GALLANTRY IN SAVING LIFE AT SEA,” and surmounted by a representation of the crown of the prince consort, the whole edged with gold. Ribbon: dark blue, with two white stripes. Clasps are awarded for any subsequent acts of bravery. ”

“ Under the program medals shall be awarded to young people within the United States, aged fourteen through twenty-three (subject to such exceptions as the Board may prescribe) , who have satisfied the standards of achievement established by the Board under subsection (b) of this section. Each medal shall consist of gold-plate over bronze, rhodium over bronze, or bronze and shall be struck in accordance with subsection (f) of this section. ”

“ The object of this is as a precaution to prevent the shifting & facilitate the action of your dies [105] or the [76] pieces of metal that are to form your medals. Then take your frame, set the head of one of the wedges on a big stone & strike the other head with a large hammer called in the craft mazzetta, using both your hands.
This you repeat three or four times, turning the frame round at every second stroke. This done, take out your medal. If the medal be of bronze it will have been necessary to soften it first, [106] for that is too hard a metal to strike straight off without heating ”

“ No more than one Bronze Star Medal shall be awarded to any one person, but for each succeeding heroic or meritorious achievement or service justifying such an award a suitable device may be awarded to be worn with the medal as prescribed by appropriate regulations. ”

“ The metal is gold, but the surface is enamel-coated. The predominant colouring is white, but a gold edging, a green wreath, and a red centre lend effectiveness to the design. Both faces are decorated, the obverse with a crown, and the reverse with the royal cypher. The ribbon, which is crimson edged with blue, is bounded both top and bottom by a gold bar.
The last award to be mentioned here for brave conduct is the Meritorious Service medal, which is now superseded by the "Distinguished Conduct in the Field" medal. ”

“ Heroic medals, which soon became the established meed of egotism and incense of flattery, were at first cast,—and, when machinery became more perfect, were struck,—in an alloy of copper, under the name of bronze. Those of the fifteenth century were of great size, varying from one to four and a half inches in diameter; many bear the names of well-known sculptors and painters as their artists, and exhibit a grandeur of conception unequalled in other numismatic productions. ”

“ The gold medal bears on the obverse the figure of Britannia, wearing a rather squat Roman-looking helmet, seated upon a globe, and bearing in her extended right hand a laurel wreath and in her left a palm branch, which rests upon an oval shield bearing the Union Jack; to Britannia's right is the British lion. On the reverse is a simple wreath of laurel, with the name of the battle and the date engraved in Roman capitals. The medal is attached to the ribbon by a simple suspender, and a gold buckle was frequently worn in the middle of the ribbon. ”

“ Satiric medals were almost unknown to the ancient mint, notwithstanding those of the Saturnalia, and a few which bear miserable puns on the unlucky names of some consuls. Medals illustrate history, and history reflects light on medals; but we should not place such unreserved confidence on medals as their advocates, who are warm in their favourite study. It has been asserted that medals are more authentic memorials than history itself; but a medal is not less susceptible of the bad passions than a pamphlet or an epigram. Ambition has its vanity, and engraves a dubious victory ”

“ The star of the second class has rays between the arms, and the small gold cross which rests upon it has crossed swords between the arms; the centre is enamelled with a green flower on a blue ground, surrounded by eighteen pearls set in a gold band. The badge of the second class has twenty pearls set round the centre, and on the reverse a red enamelled centre circled by a green enamelled border decorated with gold tracery. The third-class badge has only fourteen pearls. The badges of each class were suspended from a half red and green ribbon, like that used for the Ghuznee medal. ”

“ Moreover, between the years of 1854 and 1859 gold medals were presented to him by the rulers of Norway and Sweden, Prussia, the republic of Bremen, Holland, Austria, Sardinia, and France; and in addition a medal of honor was awarded him for his charts at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1855, and only the year before the beginning of the Civil War the Pope sent him a set of thirteen beautiful silver medals. ”

“ Although the striking of medals to commemorate important events is a practice of considerable antiquity, yet the custom of using the medal as a decoration, and especially as a decoration to do honour to those who have rendered service to the state
in time of war, is comparatively modern. ”

“ The medal—as it is understood to-day—enjoys a life entirely independent of the coin on the one hand, and, on the other, of the sculptured medallion, or bas-relief; and its renaissance is one of the chief phenomena in art during the period since about 1870. It is in France that it has risen to the greatest perfection. ”

“ Some people, notably in the early part of the nineteenth century, adopted the practice of placing war medals below the escutcheons amongst other decorations. It is doubtful, however, how far this practice is correct, inasmuch as a medal does not technically rank as a decoration or as a matter of honour. That medals are "decorations" is not officially recognised, with the exception, perhaps, of the Jubilee medal, the Diamond Jubilee medal, and the Coronation medal, which have been given a status more of the character of a decoration than of simple medals. ”

“ Supreme Commander Robert Gordon, Comrade and Friend: I now have the greatest honor that has ever been conferred upon any man,—that of presenting to you the highest medal that the United States can confer. This medal is emblematic of your great work and the duty and loyalty you have shown to your country. It is made of gold with a triple triangle in the three royal colors, purple, blue and gold. The words in the center of the triangle are 'I am God-Love.' Around the triangle are the words, Faith, Hope and Love. ”

“ Subsequently an order was issued from the Horse Guards, on October 7th, 1813, to the effect that amended regulations would be adopted in the grant and circulation of marks of distinction, i.e. medals. The regulations set forth that (1st) only one medal should be borne by each officer, (2nd) that for the second and third events a gold clasp attached to a ribbon, from which the medal is suspended, inscribed with the name of the battle or siege to which it relates. ”

“ The workman who was to make that of General Greene brought me yesterday the medal in gold, twenty-three in copper, and the die. Mr. Short, during my absence, will avail himself of the first occasion which shall offer of forwarding the medals to you. I must beg leave, through you, to ask the pleasure of Congress as to the number they would choose to have struck. Perhaps they might be willing to deposit one of each person in every college of the United States. ”

“ What do you want the Gold Medal for?”
“He’s crazy, don’t you listen to him!” Pee-wee shouted at Dub. “You win the life-saving badge by rules and you win the Gold Medal by being a hero. And if you get the Gold Medal, that doesn’t give you the life-saving badge.” ”

“ The general form (circular) may be considered as equally settled by our own practice, and that of most nations, ancient and modern. There is, however, some little diversity in diameter and thickness in the medals heretofore ordered (p. xxv) by Congress, at different periods, as may be seen in the cabinets of the War and Navy Departments. Diversity in dimensions is even greater in other countries.
The specific character of the medal is shown by its two faces, or the face and the reverse. The within resolution directs appropriate devices and inscriptions thereon. ”

“ For the benefit of the uninitiated, it may be well to mention that not only does the value of a medal depend upon its state of preservation—that is to say, whether it is in mint condition, slightly rubbed, much worn, scratched, battered, re-engraved, etc.—but also upon the number of clasps that go with it. It must not be thought that collectors tolerate the indiscriminate adding of clasps to claspless medals. A medal that was awarded with, say, one additional honour cannot be turned into a three-clasp decoration by purchasing two clasps from a dealer and placing them upon the slide ribbon. ”

“ First Distinguished-conduct Medal.—The first record we have of the bestowal of a medal for conspicuous conduct in the field is in the award made to an Irish commander who distinguished himself at the Battle of Edge Hill—the first battle of the Civil War, fought on October 23rd, 1642—by the recovery of a Royal [Pg 4] standard, and certain military accessories. The gallant soldier, who became Sir Robert Welch, was subsequently presented with an oval gold medal specially cut to the King's orders by the Royal "graver of seals and medals," Thomas Rawlins. ”