The Washington herald., 1909-04-25
UNCLE SANS MEDALS
Memorials Commemorating Events Since RevOlu-
tionary Days to Be Had Cheap

IN dn eHDtt 70 ptbuidltAS a teoiD -oi
medals the mint authorities have made
a substantial reduction in the price Of
the latest medal which has been issued
at the Philadelphia Mint. This piece.
which represents the combined skill Of
Charles L Barber and George T. Nor
gan. commentaries the departure Of the
bsttle-slip feet for its long journey
around the world,
The medal is struck in bronze and on
the diverse is shown portrait Of ex-
President Roosevelt. with the inscrip-
ton: Theodore Roosevelt. President OF
the United states On the reverse is a
standing female figure waving godspeed
to the feet Of battle ships in the dis
lance The inscription reads. Hampton
Roads. December 10. 1857. Departure Of
United States Atlantic Fleet on Cruise
Around the World.
The medal Is Of a large size. for which
usually az least 3 has been required, and
is now on sale at the mint for 81 The
number sold so far has exceeded all ex-
pectstions. Il is said that some tine IN
the near future all the medals which have
been on sale at the mint for 3 may be
reduced TO the price of the battle snip
medal. says The New York sun
With the medal department Of the
Philadelphia Mint the genera public is
not very well acquainted II is entirely
distinct from the coming department.
employs a separate force and possesses
its own coming presses. The latter are
Of a character that enable finer and more
difficult work 70 be done. One Of the
medal presses Is capable OF a pressure Of
Los tons 10 the square inch and the other
presses are capable OF striking between
go A 100 tons. As the standard silver
dollar requires but 1s9 tons and the
double eagle 80 tons. an illustration OF
the power necessary to strike the larger
medals is afforded
Presidents Portraits for sale.
II is possible sor the public 10 purchase
at the mint faithful metallic portraits OF
all the Presidents of the United States
from Washingon down 70 President Taft
al a uniform price Of g
More than go dies are in the medal
department which include not only the
dies for the medals that have been be
slowed by Congress since the opening
Of the mint IN 1792. but also those for
the medals given by Congress 10 the
heroes OF the Continental army and navy.
The latter medals are mostly the work
OF such arti-ts as Dupre. Du Eivier, and
Gatteaux. u France and the medals
we're struck in the French mint at Paris.
The dies were afterward obtained from
the French mint and are now carefully
preserved Al Philadelphia Only one
medal in gold was struck from each OF
the dies that were obtained from abroad,
although any OF the same medals may
now be obtained from the mint in bronze
at from Sl-50 10 s.
One Of the most striking of these early
medals Is that given 10 Washington by
Congress il commemoration Of the evacu-
alton Of Boston on March L. I77s. DU
TiYier was commissioned To execute the
Washington medal by the committee ap-
pointed by Congress for the purpose
which consisted OF John Adams. Join
jay. and Francis Hopkins The medal
was made at the French mint under the
superintendent Of Franklin. who al the
time represented this country al the court
Of France. The medal is nearly three
inches in diameter and the original is
now in the possession Of the Massac chu-
setts Historical Society. When il was
offered for sale soma years ago a Boston
man purchased il for S5.000 and presented
il 10 the society ANY one can now have
the identical piece in bronze for = az the
mint
Medals to Many Heroes. .
Also associated with the Revolutionary
war are the medals which we're given u
Gems Gates. Greene. Wayne. and Morgan.
and Cols- Howard Washington. Lee. and
De Fleury. and Major Stewart
The medal given to Gen Gates was the
second bestowed By Congress and was
struck in gold. II was IN commemor-
alton OF the surrender OF Gen Burgoyne
at Saratoga on October Il. III the de-
sign showing the portrait Of the American
general and the scene representing Gen
Burgoyne and his troops surrendering
70 Gen Gates y GsftesGx the French
engraver. executed this medal
The gold medal given 10 Gen Nathaniel
Green shows his bust IN Uniform on the
diverse. the inscription reading. The
American Congress 10 Nathaniel Green,
the DISTINGUISHED Leader" On the re-
verse = HiSCilntu u LAIN NdiGS htSiu-
NUN Australian {''The Safety Of the
Southern TerritOTies-D- DUpre was the
/ engraver Of this medal which was given
70 Gem Green for his work at Eutaw
Springs on September 8. III. when he
forced the British 10 abandon the Caro-
i linaS.
Gen. Wayne Mad Anthony received
a gold medal from Congress for the tax
ing OF stony Point on July Il 1l79 On
the diverse IS shown an Indian queen
presenting a crown to Gen. Wayne with
/ her left hand. while with the right she