WWI Victory Medals - SHOWCASE of Around-The-World Variations

[Sumserbrown]

I know this is not actually one of the Interallied victory medals but it is sometimes added to the broader category of WWI victory medals. This is the Panama Medal of Solidarity 1917-18 which I understand was issued in bronze, silver and gold in small numbers to each of the Allied countries. I had heard that 100 were issued to each county, which I assume is 100 of each metal type - eg 100 gold, 100 silver, 100 bronze - (but it would be great if someone can confirm that). This is the bronze version that I picked up recently. I was told that it was issued to a US officer, but I have no evidence for this.

[Sumserbrown]

On 12/6/2018 at 3:39 PM, Johnnymac said:

Hi you missed Thailand which is the rarest of all the victory medals. In my book I have illustrated over 200 medals.

 

Also all medals from Poland are unofficial and believed to be fakes.

SPECIAL NOTE - These medals all have the same designer's name, the same manufacturer's initials and the same obverse (faceplate). In other words, they are identical on the front, yet they all have a different reverse side.

 

The Polish government considered issuing a Victory Medal to its veterans, but never did. As the story I heard goes: Around the 1990s, it was reported that a few thousand of the lost (but never issued) Polish Victory Medals were found in a warehouse in Czechoslovakia.

 

If this story is true, then why are there at least three (3) different types of suspensions reported on these medals? Adding, there are three (3) different types of the reverse side having either: a "Small eagle", a "Large eagle" or the letters "RP" placed below the words, "ZA WOJNE W OBRONIE CYWILIZACJI 1914-1918", What's that all about, all these differences on one medal found in a small lot, found in one warehouse. No one has come forward with clarity.

 

 

It is possible that one or all of these medals are the Polish official issue. I will leave it up to you to decide for yourself.

 

Jim

 

Hi Jim,

I suspect the Polish victory medals are 'fantasy' pieces, but what has always intrigued me is if you are going to fake it then why go to the effort and expense of making 3 different varieties, why not just make one and claim that is the lot found in the warehouse? Having three varieties makes the idea of a fake itself look suspect, but perhaps it is a clever double bluff!

What I have noticed over the years is that all the ones I have seen on Ebay have come from a dealer(s) in Canada, and that the RP and small eagle versions are much cheaper to buy than the large eagle version. Does this mean fewer of the large eagle versions were struck?

Rob

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Johnnymac]

Hi, I do know of one case back in the 80s where a very respected person in the field of Civil War uniform buttons sold fake rare Confederate buttons, he had made up someplace in Europe.  It was not until four years after he retired and moved overseas that it all came out.

 

As to your the question why three or four Polish, well, when the fishing is good put more than one hook on the line. 

 

Jim

[Sumserbrown]

On 9/15/2022 at 1:24 PM, Sumserbrown said:

I know this is not actually one of the Interallied victory medals but it is sometimes added to the broader category of WWI victory medals. This is the Panama Medal of Solidarity 1917-18 which I understand was issued in bronze, silver and gold in small numbers to each of the Allied countries. I had heard that 100 were issued to each county, which I assume is 100 of each metal type - eg 100 gold, 100 silver, 100 bronze - (but it would be great if someone can confirm that). This is the bronze version that I picked up recently. I was told that it was issued to a US officer, but I have no evidence for this.

 

After thinking more about this it would seem very unlikely that Panama would issue 100 gold, 100 silver and 100 bronze medals to each country; it is far more likely that 1 or two gold, a handful of silver and the rest bronze would be issued. I am guessing that it might be something like 1-2 gold, 8-9 silver and 90 bronze but does anyone else have actual knowledge on this subject?

Rob

 

[Hermanus]

I'm afraid you allready know this site: https://gmic.co.uk/topic/59167-usa-ww1-commemorative-medal/#comment-715909 as you participate in that topic aswell.

I think you're the most knowledgeable gentleman on the subject.

 

I shall dig into this medal, perhaps I find something.

 

Regards

Herman 

[Sumserbrown]

8 minutes ago, Hermanus said:

I'm afraid you allready know this site: https://gmic.co.uk/topic/59167-usa-ww1-commemorative-medal/#comment-715909 as you participate in that topic aswell.

I think you're the most knowledgeable gentleman on the subject.

 

I shall dig into this medal, perhaps I find something.

 

Regards

Herman 

Thanks Herman,

yes I have been posting on both sites trying to find someone who is an expert on this medal - someone who can tell me more about it and also someone who has seen several examples so that they can tell a genuine one from a copy.

In researching, I found that there was a lecture given to the London branch of OMRS a few years ago so I am just about to reach out to someone to see if I can get a copy of that. I will post anything I can get onto this site and also GMIC.

best wishes

Rob

 

 

 

[easterneagle87]

So far, I have examples from: US, UK, Czech, Italy France & Belgium.  We went to Greece for our anniversary four years ago and I hunted hard for a Greek example. That would have been the primo souvenir, but alas na-da! I did see a bad UK copy and they wanted the moon. I would have paid up for an original even though the prices they were asking were already through the roof.   

[Sumserbrown]

4 minutes ago, easterneagle87 said:

So far, I have examples from: US, UK, Czech, Italy France & Belgium.  We went to Greece for our anniversary four years ago and I hunted hard for a Greek example. That would have been the primo souvenir, but alas na-da! I did see a bad UK copy and they wanted the moon. I would have paid up for an original even though the prices they were asking were already through the roof.   

It's a good start! Are you going to try and collect them all?

Based on my experience I would say that this is the order of increasing difficulty of getting hold of the rest of them, although some may argue with me about the exact order of #2-#5.

 

South Africa (bilingual variant of the UK one)

Greece

Japan

Romania

Portugal

Cuba

Brazil

Siam

 

If you want to add in the Philippine Constabulary medal I reckon it comes between Cuba and Brazil in terms of getting hold of one.

You should have no trouble picking up the first 5 on Ebay, they are often for sale there.

There are also multiple variants of most of these medals too, some of which are easy to find and some very difficult. Beware of copies and fakes of all of them though.

 

Good luck!

Rob

 

[Sumserbrown]

I finally managed to track down a piece of replacement ribbon for my Philippine Constabulary Victory Medal so I will re-post a picture of it.

[skylog6]

Adding variations to get my post numbers up.

 

Picture 1: France Official, Type 1, Type 1a, and Type 1b from left to right Obverse

 

Picture 2: France Official, Type 1, Type 1a, and Type 1b from left to right Reverse

 

Pictures 3, 4, 5: Major differences are on the reverse (bottom center), here is a close up of the differences for Type 1, Type 1a, and Type 1b