Dating a Red Cross Medal....

[Dieter3]

What period of issue for this little baby? Taisho? Showa? It's hard to see from the photos, but this medallion appears silvery on the disc with goldish highlights on the relief. What might this be made of -Silver? Aluminum? Thanks!

Edited September 7, 2009 by Dieter3

[Paul L Murphy]

This is Fig 11.6 in my book, In the Name of a Living God. It is post 1956, made from aluminum and is the women's version of the Golden Special Members Medal. Difficult to find.

[Dieter3]

Thanks Paul! I totally forgot about the Red Cross medals section in your book! I see it now. What might have been the special circumstances surrounding issuance of the Golden Special Membership??

Edited September 7, 2009 by Dieter3

[RichC]

I'm not sure, but I think that the more money one donated, the higher the class of medal one received. Cheers, Rich

[Dieter3]

It seems that most (earlier anyway) red cross medals were issued in black lacquer, or various paperboard boxes - it seems the Golden Special Members were issued in wooden cases like this one. What other RC medals, if any, were issued in the plain wood, anything?

Help me on this, trying to figure out the rhyme and reason to case/boxes for red cross medals. Other than this one above, I only have a few of those Russo-Japan war commemorative medals in simple paperboard boxes, so I'm just going off what I've seen for sale (obviously limited and incomplete), but am I on the right track?? ::

Early Medals - Black Lacquer cases. (at least Special Members and Merit Medals) Assuming Life members too? Not sure about normal members.

Somewhat Later Medals - Paper boxes with gilt writing (have seen Special Members) Assuming normal members and life members too?

Later (WWII???) Medals - Paper boxes with what looks like paper labels?? (have seen Special Members, Life Members) Assuming normal members too.

Golden Specials - Wood - though I have seen a few Russo-Japan War commemoratives in a simple wooden case with "記念" on the covers. Mostly just the paper board boxes though.

Late Issue - Black, textured cases with the gold trim - though these seem limited to the

Really getting fascinated with red cross medals. Thanks for any help and insight! :D