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The Wisconsin Perry’s Victory Centennial Gold Medal


Fred Borgmann
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Fred Borgmann


Back in 2013 when I wrote my Wisconsin Military And Civil Medals book I included the Wisconsin Perry’s Victory Centennial Medal in bronze which was awarded to the members of the Wisconsin National Guard who voluntarily participated in the ceremonies. I also mentioned that a gold version of the medal existed as reported in newspaper accounts. The gold medals, valued at $25.00 each, (Gold in 1913 was $20.67 per ounce.) were prizes for a topically related essay contest by high school students with one medal being awarded for the best essay in each of Wisconsin’s eleven Congressional Districts. The gold medals, just like the bronze versions, were struck in Philadelphia by the J.K. Davison Company from the same dies as the bronze version. The gold version however is non-portable meaning that it is a pocket piece and was not issued on a ribbon. That means that only 11 of the gold medals should exist and each of those medals should have the proper inscription naming the student and Congressional District on the reverse. One of the medals, named to George Bennett of district 8, was sold by Presidential Coin & Antique in 2003.

Presidential listed the medal as .9166 fine (22k) gold, 38.5mm in diameter and weighing 33.6 grams. Much to my surprise, another gold version recently appeared on the inter-net! This one is named to Wisconsin Governor Francis E. McGovern. McGovern was a lawyer since 1897. From 1905-09 he was the Milwaukee County D.A. He served two terms as (Republican) Governor of Wisconsin 1910-1914. During WWI McGovern served in the Army Judge Advocate’s office. In 1940 he ran unsuccessfully for Governor as a Democrat. He died in 1946. I am not sure what he did to earn his gold medal. As the governor he appointed the Perry’s Victory Centennial Commissioners and he did present the essay contest winners with their medals at the Madison presentation ceremony. The commission then in turn presented him with his gold medal. As far as I could find, the McGovern medal first showed up in a Stacks sale in 2002. They listed it as 33.99 grams in weight and 38.3 mm in diameter. By the time I got my hands on the medal it had been slabbed. I have always believed that slabbing medals is a ridiculous waste of time and money and that slabbing also prevents the proper examination of the slabbed item. So it was with great satisfaction that I carefully un-slabbed this golden gem. The results were pleasing. The medal is 38 mm in diameter. The plain edge is 2.2 mm thick. Both measurements are slightly smaller than the bronze version. The weight is 34.05 grams which is slightly heavier than reported weights and the specific gravity range is 19.1788 to 19.2373 which indicates a gold content of at least .990 fine or almost pure gold! In closing the Wisconsin State Treasurer’s Report of 1913 lists a refund of $625.00

from the Wisconsin Perry’s Victory Centennial Commission, which was from the U.S. Mint for gold medals! That implies that there were un-awarded medals and that those medals were sold to the U.S. Mint for scrap. At about $20 per ounce approximately 31 un-awarded medals may have been melted! Makes me wonder how many gold medals were actually produced? Were the seven members of the commission also awarded gold medals?

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Fred,

 

I always enjoy your posts and the level of detailed research that you have done in order to ensure that the reader gets the full story. Congratulations on yet another great read. Once quick question for you- The medals are a little over one troy ounce of gold, which has a spot price of around $1,200 an ounce. What is the premium above melt for these pieces? I'd have to think that the nautical theme and Oliver H. Perry's "Don't give up the ship" motto would make it an attractive piece in naval collecting circles.

 

Allan

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Fred Borgmann

Thanks Allan, that is a tough question. When a gold medal or badge is as rare as this my rule of thumb is 2 1/2 times melt. Often in auctions like ebay they go for less. In coin type auctions they can go much higher. All depends on who is bidding and why.

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