LIBERIA MEDAL LIST

[heusy68]

Hello Gentlemen,I will do my best to list the Medal of the Republic of Liberia, a country "created" in 1847 by freed former american slaves with the help of the American Colonisation Society. E.J.Fisher published an excellent monography on the Medals of the Republic of Liberia and I want to pay him tribute.

For those who wants to know more about Liberia history :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Liberia

I will begin by listing the military related awards,then the civilian related awards then the commemorative medals.

I will begin by the Military Merit Order ,but as it's without enamel,and purely a military award I decided to list it here.

Some sources refers as 1914 as its date of creation,then modificated in 1956.The book of Nicolas de Roffignac states it was widely awarded in the 40ies & 50ies and that it fell into obsolesence after President samuel Doe had given it for the last time in 1985.

Emmanuel

Edited February 19, 2011 by heusy68

[heusy68]

The 2nd highest Liberian military Medal is the Outstanding Soldier Medal.It's a circular medal with laurel leaf crown suspension.A standing elephant with trunk raised on obverse & the word "SOLDIER" on reverse.

The ribbon is rainbow.

If someone has a colour pictures he is welcome to post it here.

And if someone has one for sale,I'am ready to buy it....

Emmanuel

[heusy68]

Then comes the Long Service Decoration ,and 3 exist : The 5 Years Long Service Decoration (shown here) ,the 10 Years Long Service Decoration and the 15 Years Long Service Decoration (that I do not have and that I would be very keen to be able to buy).The 15 Years Long Service Decoration is octogonal and has the figure 15 in center of obverse with green enameled oak leaf surround.

Here the 5 Years Long Service Decoration.

The Long Service Decoration were first granted in 1961 (Source E.J.Fischer Monography on Liberian Medals).

Emmanuel

Edited February 19, 2011 by heusy68

[heusy68]

Here is the 10 Years Long Service Decoration.

Emmanuel

[heusy68]

Here is the Liberian United Nations Service Medal.

I have absolutely no idea when this medal was last awarded,but I'am sure someone here know the answer.....or even better has a picture of liberian troops under the blue helmet.

Liberian troops were send to Democratic Republic of Congo (former Belgian Congo) in the early 60ies and also in Nigeria during the Biafra Crisis.

Emmanuel

Edited February 19, 2011 by heusy68

[heusy68]

Here is the Marksmanship Medal .Sources state that former President Tubman (1944-1971) instituted this medal in same time as the 3 Long Service Decoration.

This Medal was given to enlisted riflemen who scored over 95 percent hits during a specified training period,usually 3 months .the medal was extended to pistol qualification in 1980 and to Officers in 1985

(Source : Monography of E.J.Fischer).

Emmanuel

Edited February 19, 2011 by heusy68

[heusy68]

This beautifull medal is usually associated with the Order of African Redemption,but no sources can asset this.And the Statute of the Order of African Redemption does not have a 6th class.

This medal has been seen with either "HONOR" or "HONOUR" on reverse and exist in 3 classes (gilt,silvered & bronze).

E.J.Fischer wrote in his monography on liberain medals that local sources report it as National Merit Medal with Civil & Military Division.The example shown below has the military ribbon.The Civil Division use either an African Redeemption Order ribbon; a green ribbon with 3 thin central red stripes or a blue ribbon with diagonal red stripes.

Mr Fischer report another local source indentifying it as Service Medal (with green ribbon with 3 central red stripes).

Anyway a not common medal.

Emmanuel

Edited February 19, 2011 by heusy68

[heusy68]

Here is a medal that lots of you have already seen somewhere. This Medal of Merit which exist in 3 classes ( bronze,silver & silver gilt ) is associated with the Order of the African Star (itself instituted in 1920).

This medal has been used over the times as a kind of Presidential Medal of Honour when the Presiden t of Liberia was on State Visit abroad.This is the reason why this medal is seen so often.

I know lots of member will immediately say : "oh I see this medal with another ribbon on this dealer website".....but believe me this is the correct ribbon.Keep in mind that people may have lost their ribbon,or any way dealers know that it's ever easier to sell a medal that has a ribbon rather than a medal which is ribbonless.

Emmanuel

Edited February 19, 2011 by heusy68

[heusy68]

This medal is the Centenary of Independence Medal 1947. In the ribbon charts from Arthus Bertrand the ribbon exist.

Was this Medal officialy given during the ceremonies for the centenary of Independence of Liberia or was this medal just a presentation token given to guests,I don't know.

Emmanuel

[heusy68]

President William Tubman(1944-1971) was an important State Men from the 3rd quarter of the XX century.He was a Pan Africanist and he tried to build a modern country.Sadly the civil war that ravaged Liberia in the 90ies put these efforts to nothing.

William Tolbert succeded President Tubman at his death in 1971.He seeemed not to have instituted an Inauguration Medal (or maybe it exist a larger and non wearable medal ???).

The medal shown here is in silvered metal,but high officials present at Monrovia during the Inauguration of President Tubman in 1956 got the same medal but in silver (hallmarked) in a Tiffany's case.

http://en.wikipedia..../William_Tubman

Emmanuel

Edited February 19, 2011 by heusy68

[heusy68]

Here is a picture of such a medal.You can see on second picture the hallmark near the edge "835". The uncle of a fellow collector was the official french representant to the ceremony.

Emmanuel

Edited February 19, 2011 by heusy68

[heusy68]

Here you can see 2 medals from the time of the Presidency of President Tubman commemorating the Centenary of the Union of the 2 States (Liberia & Maryland) in 1957.

Few people may know this story but Liberia was not the onliest Republic to have been formed by former freed slaves.A smaller one Maryland existed for a short time from 1834 (first settlment) to 1854 (formal Independence) to 1857 (Union with Liberia).

But this smaller Independent Republic was attacked by local tribes and ask for military help of the Liberia.Later it comes clear that Maryland was too small to survives and it united to Liberia.

Read the following link below,it is very interesting.

http://en.wikipedia....lic_of_Maryland

Look carefully the 2 medals.There is 2 different dies for the obverse and for the reverse.

One with tri-colored ribbon pays tribute to Superintendent F.W.Gibson an dthe one with plain yellow ribbon pay tribute to Chief Hedo Hodo.

Superintendent F.W.Gibson was the "chief" of Maryland county in 1957 (but since 1857 2 others Gibson had been Superintendent).

Chief Hedo Hodo was Paramount Chief of Nymowe Chiefdoom.

Emmanuel

Edited February 19, 2011 by heusy68

[heusy68]

Reverse

[ilja559]

Chamber of Commerce medal

[peter monahan]

Ilja

 

Thank you for sharing the great photographs and wealth of information on these medals.  I thought I knew a little about the history of West Africa, but must confess I had never heard of Maryland until I read your post.  It is interesting that the tribes attacked Maryland because it was interfering with the slave trade but also that Liberia eventually was itself involved in trading slaves!  Ironic!

[ilja559]

Peter, it was Emmanuel post.

[peter monahan]

It was, and I apologize for the error!   I looked at the last post, yours, not the whole thread.  very Careless of me.  Emmanuel, thank you!

[Antonio Prieto]

Liberian Distinguished Service Order?

Red ribbon with a dark blue central stripe and a gilt star

 

 

[922F]

First ran across this award about 5 years ago.  A manager of the "Peoples Self-Help Group", an international voluntary organization engaged in rebuilding water supply systems in Montserrado County, Liberia supposedly received it from then-President Sirleaf in 2017.  Insignia exhibits design element common to other official Liberian medals [though with a larger planchet] and is accompanied by a document [seen above].  Inquiries in Monrovia and to three Liberian embassy information offices revealed no information.   Not clear whether it is an official Liberian state award, a quasi official honor or a token of appreciation by a private group.  Besides people associated with established beneficial groups like the Red Cross, UNDP and so on, various military personnel who provide help or protection for infrastructure projects have received.  Like, perhaps, the Nigerian Officer in first image above.   

[Antonio Prieto]

Thank you for the explanation