Numbering & naming on US medals.

[wartimecollectables.com]

I hope it's o.k. to post one of my links on this forum?

Here is a link to a page I created that shows examples of original naming and numbering on US medals. It's a work in progress and I add more as time permits.

CLICK HERE!

[Brig]

nice reference. no problem with the link!

[ADMIN]

Not a problem posting a link at all. You are also more than welcome to repost the images and information here.

 

It is a dramatic understatement to say it looks like you have really done your research! Very informative information.

[SARGE]

Andrew,

 

Excellent photographs showing numbering and engraving styles.

 

There do seem to be some identifiable differences in the stamping dies and the fonts used in marking and engraving these medals. So many fakes out nowadays make medal collectors nervous. Not so much fake medals anymore but false engraving to make a common original medal even more saleable. It is always nice when someone takes the time to document some of these markings. I know that I have a certain comfort level with some marking styles and I tend to stay in my comfort zone.

 

I appreciate the effort to post your research.

[John Cooper]

I have a question about the reason behind the naming of Air Medals - I have seem many examples most are not named yet some are can someone explain this?

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

John

[wartimecollectables.com]

At the risk of oversimplifying things, essentially medals that are named are mailed out. If the medals are posthumous and sent to the next of kin, if the soldier was badly wounded and was sent home before the medals were issued, if the soldier got out of the service before he recieved his medals (as was the case with MANY WWII soldiers), and often if they were mailed out to a particular base for presentation.

Collectors encounter many posthumous Air Medal / Purple Heart pairs with unnamed Air Medals because the Air Medal was awarded, usually for missions flown, while the man was still living. When he's KIA a Purple Heart was sent to the family. You will also often see DFC, Air Medal, PH trios with just the PH or the PH and the DFCl named for the same reason.

[R Leonard]

Which explains why none of my father's medals, see http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...?showtopic=1621

are named, yet the DFC awarded to my uncle, who was KIA, is.

Never realized that was how it worked, and truth be known, never really thought about it. Thanks for that.

 

Regards,

 

Rich

[John Cooper]

Andrew you may also be able to assist me with the numbered brooch on an Air Medal - the number is 15483. I would like to know what maker this came from and the est of the time it was produced? Since the number is high I am currently under the assumption is was a later production...

 

Thanks

[KASTAUFFER]

Andrew you may also be able to assist me with the numbered brooch on an Air Medal - the number is 15483. I would like to know what maker this came from and the est of the time it was produced? Since the number is high I am currently under the assumption is was a later production...

 

Thanks

 

It might be Silverman Bros.

 

Kurt

[John Cooper]

Thanks Kurt!

 

Are there references that contain the maker \ number block assignments?

[Military-Memorabilia]

Here's what I'm told is a privately engraved US Army Good Conduct Medal, obviously from WWII.

 

[Military-Memorabilia]

Here is a WWII numbered Legion Of Merit Legionnaire Medal on a Wrap Brooch:

 

 

 

[Wiendolch]

Another excellent reference now i can compare my Numbered and Engraved medals sweet.

[kanemono]

THANK YOU!

Dick

[dag]

At the risk of oversimplifying things, essentially medals that are named are mailed out. If the medals are posthumous and sent to the next of kin, if the soldier was badly wounded and was sent home before the medals were issued, if the soldier got out of the service before he recieved his medals (as was the case with MANY WWII soldiers), and often if they were mailed out to a particular base for presentation.

Collectors encounter many posthumous Air Medal / Purple Heart pairs with unnamed Air Medals because the Air Medal was awarded, usually for missions flown, while the man was still living. When he's KIA a Purple Heart was sent to the family. You will also often see DFC, Air Medal, PH trios with just the PH or the PH and the DFCl named for the same reason.

 

Thanks for this explanation. I had wondered why my father-in-law's original awarded Purple Heart medal (he was a US Navy officer wounded in WWII, the ship he served on was sunk in the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942) does not have his name engraved, yet the Good Conduct medal my Grandfather was awarded (he served in the US Army, also during WWII) does have his name engraved.

 

David

[Tom Nier]

Andrew you may also be able to assist me with the numbered brooch on an Air Medal - the number is 15483. I would like to know what maker this came from and the est of the time it was produced? Since the number is high I am currently under the assumption is was a later production...

 

Thanks

 

My databank of 102 numbered Air Medals records only two examples occurring in Silverman Bros. boxes with matching numbers. AM #201 had the contract date of 4/27/1943. AM #3938 also appeared in a Silverman box, but no contract date was mentioned. Col. Gleim auctioned AM #11917 in his Nov. 1989 auction No.23, and stated it was from the 1943 Silverman contract. The odds are that Silverman produced the entire continuously numbered Air Medal range, the highest known (to me) number of which is AM #39582. Medallic Art Co. had a second numbered AM contract dated 7/26/1943. The cardboard box labels are found to be numbered, but most of these Air Medal brooches ended up not being numbered. However, I have record of two numbered AMs from this M.A. contract: #98920, and #102471.

[kbulow]

Hi Andrew,

 

What an excellent thread, being Australian I'm only just getting into collecting some US medals and groups and have found this information very helpful.

 

Kerry

[67Rally]

Thanks for this explanation. I had wondered why my father-in-law's original awarded Purple Heart medal (he was a US Navy officer wounded in WWII, the ship he served on was sunk in the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942) does not have his name engraved, yet the Good Conduct medal my Grandfather was awarded (he served in the US Army, also during WWII) does have his name engraved.

 

David

 

 

David,

 

Which ship did your father-in-law serve aboard?

[Hobza]

Numbered Army Good Conduct medal from my collection.

 

866

 

Lubos

[BigJohn#3RD]

How does this engraving look on this post WWI DSC? I am going with that it is correct comparing it to the engraving I have seen on Purple Hears and Silver Stars issued in the 1930's.

Thanks

John

[WittWorldWide.com]

Soldier's Medal # 1458, Hand Engraved to Vincent Puglia.

 

 

[WittWorldWide.com]

Army Good Conduct in Matching Box #11648

 

 

[Jack's Son]

.

[joeclown]

Is there any reason why I have 2 numbered Silver Star medals one is a wrap brooch and other is slot brooch, the wrap brooch I assumed would be the older of the 2 yet it has a lower number on it. Any suggestions....Thanks Joe

[MMcollector]

Is there any reason why I have 2 numbered Silver Star medals one is a wrap brooch and other is slot brooch, the wrap brooch I assumed would be the older of the 2 yet it has a lower number on it. Any suggestions....Thanks Joe

Hope this helps! The lower numbered slot brooch is 1942 Robbins contract, and the higher numbered wrap brooch is a 1943 Medallic Art Company contract.

 

Here are the numbered Silver Star contracts that I have written down.

 

8/29/1932 BB&B, 1 - 50000 (Split Wrap Brooch)

1942 Robbins Co., 50001 - 100xx? (Slot Brooch)

1/20/1943 Medallic Art Company, 100001 - 118889 (Full Wrap Brooch)