show us your rarest medals

[NKina91]

[topdcnut]

Not sure if these even belong here but I have never seen any other.

[topdcnut]

Opp's

[manayunkman]

Very interesting medal bar and history.

[aerialbridge]

First let me say this thread has some fantastic, rare and unusual medals and awards. Thanks to all that shared.

Certainly not rare but the awards that I am most proud of is the Purple Heart from my father SSG Howard E. Morris who was killed during WW2 in Belgium 1944 and my four Purple Hearts that I earned in Vietnam.

I have a number of medal groups from Civil War Campaign, WW1 DSC to an aviator and all the way up to Vietnam but the Purple Hearts mentioned above are my most prized.

 

Words don't really measure up, but thank you for sharing your PH and your father's.

[aactionjim]

U.S. Army Artillery 1903 

[aactionjim]

U.S. Navy Rifleman

[aactionjim]

USDIS

[Sumserbrown]

On 10/29/2015 at 12:49 AM, mikes militaria said:

 

My Town and State WW1 Service Medal collection

 

Top Left to right: City of Norfolk VA, Louisville KY, Roanoke VA, Richmond VA, reverse, Loudoun Co VA,

Richmond VA, Rockingham Co / City of Harrisonburg VA, City of Winchester / Frederick Co VA, Portsmouth VA.

 

Middle row: Norfolk CO VA, State of Missouri National Guard, reverse, State of Missouri US Forces, State of

Missouri US Forces reverse, Maryland, North Carolina, Oregon, New Jersey, New Hampshire.

 

Bottom row: Pennsylvania Federal Service, Pennsylvania National Guard, Connecticut, reverse, Connecticut,

Washington DC, Washington DC Lapel Pin, Washington DC, reverse, Delaware, (My info shows a

Rainbow ribbon but this looks like an original attachment or a really great replacement job), New York,

reverse, NY Mini, New York and a New York Faithful State Service During the War Medal

 

Another VA State medal I don't have is Newport News, 1,467 issued. The only State Medal I don't have that I know of is Wyoming

 

Can you post a photo of your Delaware WWI state medal (especially the reverse) onto this page below on the forum? The guy who started it wants to see other people's medals and he and other people are really good at digging out some background info about the recipient for you. I have had my DE medal 10 years but within about an hour of posting this morning I had received a lot of information - newspaper clippings, draft card etc

Rob

 

[Reforger]

Here is a rare medal: The Hero of Hohenfels Award

It is only awarded for outstanding performance during a training exercise at the Hohenfels training area. Usually not more than six soldiers are awarded this medal during a FTX, often less. This medal dates to around the 1980's/90's when Hohenfels was still called the CMTC. Hero of Hohenfels medals are engraved with the recipient's number on the back, at least the early ones. The medal shown is in mint condition and was never awarded, so there is no number.

 

[Sumserbrown]

One of my recent acquisitions in the US WWI Town and County section of my diverse medal collection. This is for Haddonfield, NJ and (at least according to the number of men listed on the town's war memorial) 296 were issued, all in gold - allegedly 10k. I bought it like this, but does anyone know if it originally came with a ribbon and, if so, what type?

thanks

Rob

 

[aerialbridge]

That is a beautiful medal in gold.  How much does it weigh?  I was curious about the town seal.   "The Official Seal shall be of the following form: A disk shape, with the words, "Borough of Haddonfield" on the upper portion of the outer circle and the words "Camden County, New Jersey," on the lower portion thereof; and within the circle, the figure of a woman representing Elizabeth Haddon, ministering to Indians."  I can't imagine there were too many (if any) other towns that issued gold medals to every local vet.  I'll bet it was struck by BB&B in nearby Philadelphia.  The lettering is the same as on the circa 1908 Navy Campaign Medals they struck.

 

[Sumserbrown]

29 minutes ago, aerialbridge said:

That is a beautiful medal in gold.  How much does it weigh?  I was curious about the town seal.   "The Official Seal shall be of the following form: A disk shape, with the words, "Borough of Haddonfield" on the upper portion of the outer circle and the words "Camden County, New Jersey," on the lower portion thereof; and within the circle, the figure of a woman representing Elizabeth Haddon, ministering to Indians."  I can't imagine there were too many (if any) other towns that issued gold medals to every local vet.  I'll bet it was struck by BB&B in nearby Philadelphia.  The lettering is the same as on the circa 1908 Navy Campaign Medals they struck.

 

 

The medal is smaller than most other Town medals I have seen, just 24 mm diameter and 1.5mm thick. Unfortunately I don't have accurate scales to weigh it but I make it around 5-6g. I have no idea if it really is 10k gold or not - no assay marks I can see.

 

I read somewhere that this seal of Haddonfield was created around summer 1918 and one of the first uses was on this medal to celebrate the peace of 1919. I also read that all of the medals for the vets were issued in gold but I have no idea if this is true - it it is then it was very extravagant of the town to do this. What I can see from the town memorial is that the first 289 names of veterans of WWI are listed alphabetically and then another 7 names are added afterwards, making it look as though those 7 people had originally been forgotten. I have the medal of one of those 7 'forgotten' men.

Rob

 

[JimmyBerry2013]

Anyone out there collect World War One lodge medals?  Love to see what you have