Armed Forces Reserve Medals

[Tim B]

Here's a question I have:

 

I see an abundance of Armed Forces Reserve Medals with the transitional crimped-slot brooch on the market but, of the six different versions produced, I only see the Army, Air Force, and National Guard versions being offered for sale.

 

Of the Navy, Marine and Coast Guard medals I've seen for sale, all are on more modern style brooch and most appear to be later strikes of poor quality.

 

So, are there Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard versions of this medal with the earlier crimped-slot brooch or did they come out later with only the crimp style brooch?

 

Thanks,

Tim

[Wharfmaster]

Tim:

 

I have an early (quality) AFRM with crimped slot brooch to the Coast Guard.

 

The box is marked:

 

Armed Forces Reserve Medals,

Coast Guard Design

Daniel Smilo & Sons, Inc., N.Y.

 

 

No numbers or date on box.

 

 

Best regards,

 

The Wharfmaster

[Tim B]

:thumbsup:

 

Thank you, so I know that one did exist.

 

Tim

[Wharfmaster]

Tim, you are welcome.

 

I dug a little deeper and found a Navy AFRM in a grouping. It is an early quality, unmarked crimp brooch example awarded in a brown paper packet with the following printed on it. (Probably 1950s mfg.)

 

Medal, Armed Forces Reserve, Navy

(Pendant, Pendant Ribbon)

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

The Wharfmaster

[Tim B]

Well, I see they did exist but you just don't see many of them and not in the issue boxes.

 

Tim

[Tim B]

Thought I would bump this up to see if any more examples might have come to light since originally starting the thread?

 

I did pick up an early Navy version without the box of issue. It's unmarked, so I assume it's another Smilo & Sons example. I still have not found a boxed Navy, Marine, or Coast Guard example with the crimp/slot brooch, which really strikes me a bit odd considering the amount of Army, Air Force and National Guard medals on the market.

[Tim B]

I had considered the possibilty that someone might have found a pendant and paired it with a crimp/slot drape but, the Navy medal here actually measured 2.0 mm to 2.5 mm thicker than a comparable Air Force medal, so that kind of tells me, it's an early strike.

 

Both pendants measured 37.46 mm in diameter and the Navy medal measured 32.0 mm - 32.2 mm thick. Using an old manual dial caliper, so it's close as my eyes can see.

 

You can see the difference in a side by side though and the Navy medal has a beveled edge.

 

Tim

[legionnairedu2]

]Hello to all,
The model USMC is almost untraceable. Which is the date of exit for this model

The model USMC, the model of 1991 '

 

 

[Tim B]

Hello legionnairedu2,

 

Your PIC's are a bit small here but, looking at the suspension hub on the Marine issue, I would say it's a modern (post-90's) strike.

 

Tim

[Tim B]

I do believe these early Smilo & Sons medals with the crimp/slot brooch to be circa mid-late 1950's manufacture. Here's a 11/61 contract for a Navy AFRM and we can see it is on an unmarked crimp style brooch by this time.

 

Tim

[Tim B]

The actual 11/61 medal:

[legionnairedu2]

Hello to you Tim B.,
This model dates of when

 

 

hallmark : MC-GI

 

[Tim B]

The hallmark appears to read CN-GI and not MC-GI?

 

CN = Columbia Button & Nail Corp out of New York. Any hallmark with a "- GI" is circa late 1960's to mid 1990's when hallmarks were changed simply to TIoH codes. So, my guess based on brooch and strike, probably your medal dates around late 60's to mid 70's.

[Tim B]

Here's another National Guard example manufactured by General Products Company in the dated August 1965 box of issue. Note the hallmark is still on the rim and prior to manufacturers moving hallmarks to the reverse brooch.

[legionnairedu2]

Hello to you Tim,
One thousand thank you for your lights, I did not know this manufacturer.

[Tim B]

Happy to help and that maker (Columbia Button & Nailhead Corp) is not as often seen as others. I had to look up the name again to see it was "Nailhead" vice nail.

 

I've seen many of their items with the hallmark stamped over Lordship's HLP-GI, so they may have bought up some of their stock but, I'm not sure of what exact connection they may have had with Lordship, if any. The Institute of Heraldry (TIoH) issued them the code (C24). These numbers were assigned to identify company's sometime in the mid-1960's and are the hallmarks used on the brooches from mid-1990's onward.

 

Tim

[hirsca]

I picked up the USAF version of the medal today. It is in the blue two piece cardboard box that was originally hinged and has the tissue wrapping. The label is missing from the end of the box. Crimped slot brooch. From what I can gather from this thread is that it was most likely made by Daniel Smilo & Sons.

 

Two questions:

 

Is it most likely a 1950's Smilo & Sons? and

Would it have come with a ribbon bar?

 

Thanks, Al.