American (US) Victory Medals

[Bilco]

Pershing’s WWI Victory Medal was stamped “U.S.M. 5”.  Colonel Al Gleim speculated that USM stood for US Mint and that medals #s 1 to 4 were issued to President Woodrow Wilson, Secretary of War Newton Baker, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels and Army Chief of Staff Peyton Marsh.

Other known numbered medals:

U.S.M. 37 awarded to Colonel James P. Barney
U.S.M. 68 (mentioned on page 92 of Laslo's book)
U.S.M. 70 (figure 113 on page 86 of Laslo’s book)
U.S.M. 95 awarded to Brigadier General R. Krauthoff

Bill

[jimn]

I was only 4 numbers out!!! I should have rechecked in my Laslo...sorry about that

[Bill Brouillard Jr.]

This example belonged to Cpl. Harry E. Steele, US Marine Corps who was awarded the Silver Star Medal and CdG Medal in WWI - The Silver Citation Star has tarnished to black over time.

[Ura87]

An interesting mark on the reverse. Who could do this, a manufacturer or a museum?

[Rusty Greaves]

Museums would never deface an item with such a stamped marking, and if it was for exhibition that marking defeats the idea of showing it. 

 

I am not a collector, so my knowledge is highly imperfect. However, I would think this must be a marking by the mint or the military for an example that was not intended to be awarded. 

[Bill Brouillard Jr.]

At one time in the 1930's prominent numismatic collectors were able to buy military medals directly from the US Mint however before the mint sent them out they were engraved on the reverse or the rim "For Exhibition Purposes" - Also the Military would provide "Medal Boards" to VFW's, and Military installations. Over time as some of these places closed the medal boards would be put up for sale for a nominal amount or retrieved from the trash.

 

Bill

 

 

 

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by Bill Brouillard Jr.

[Ura87]

Thanks for answers.

[Bill Brouillard Jr.]

Engraved WWI Victory trio to a Marine who served in Cuba in 1917-18

 

Bill

[sumserbrown]

On 12/08/2022 at 22:58, Bill Brouillard Jr. said:

Engraved WWI Victory trio to a Marine who served in Cuba in 1917-18

 

Bill

Very nice grouping

Rob

[Bill Brouillard Jr.]

On 15/09/2022 at 06:58, sumserbrown said:

Very nice grouping

Rob

Thank you - I have had it for many years in my collection

 

Bill

[Ura87]

I think it's not true combination for the medal but interesting.

[sumserbrown]

On 09/05/2023 at 18:40, Ura87 said:

I think it's not true combination for the medal but interesting.

These are non-official bars, probably made for veterans waiting for their official medals to arrive, or for veterans who wanted to supplement their official medals with extra bars. The medal was never issued like this. You can see by the stamp on the back of the bars that they were made in France. Your medal has lost its suspension bar and when issued this was well sewed to the ribbon so difficult to remove and put back. The easiest way therefore to add these unofficial bars to an official medal was to open the brass ring joining the bottom of the ribbon to the medal, separate the medal, add the bars, put the medal back on the ring and then close the ring again. Often then you are left with a small gap in the ring as you can see in your photo. You do not see that gap on official medals that have not been tampered with.

best wishes

Rob

 

[Bill Brouillard Jr.]

On 14/08/2018 at 05:22, Bilco said:

Something a bit different on eBay today ...

According to the seller the medal was to a recruiter. Item #153138460248

Bill

The 10 Recruits Bar belongs on a New York National Guard Recruiting Medal

 

Bill

[Bilco]

I've just received this from a seller on eBay -

 

 

 

 

Obviously a mis-strike, and probably rejected, as there is no sign of a suspensiomn knob having been attached. It's well-worn, so had a lot of handling.

 

Has anyone seen a similar -mis-strike?

 

Bill

[RobW]

17 hours ago, Bilco said:

I've just received this from a seller on eBay -

 

 

 

 

Obviously a mis-strike, and probably rejected, as there is no sign of a suspensiomn knob having been attached. It's well-worn, so had a lot of handling.

 

Has anyone seen a similar -mis-strike?

 

Bill

 

Hello Bill,

 

Yes; I've seen mis-strikes of the US vic previously but not of the official sort as per your example. The mis-strikes I've seen were the French and Italian reproductions.

 

Regards,

Rob

Edited September 26, 2024 by RobW
typo

[Jean-Michel]

On 10/09/2019 at 09:42, RobW said:

Hello Bill,

A nice French produced US vic with some rarely seen French produced clasps.  These specific variety are rarely seen and are rare even among French collectors. There is a complete set of clasps including the rarely seen SOMME clasp.

A great pickup of a French produced US vic with rarely seen clasps.

Regards,
Rob

Hello everyone,

Here is a model from the Arthus-Bertrand house well hallmarked with the word "BRONZE". This medal is equipped with three bars, two of which are atypical and one rare. These bars were on the medal when I acquired it.

 

There are two bars in stamped metal with a very fine clip, one of which has been repaired. What manufacture?

 

The "SOMME" bar is rare, the letter "W" replaces the letter "M". I think that these bars are made by Arthus-Bertrand because most of the identical bars that I have seen were equipped with Arthus-Bertrand medals.

 

Kind regards,

Jean-Michel

[RobW]

Hi Jean-Michel,

 

I have seen these variety of French produced US engagement clasps on occasion; the 'SOMME' example being particularly rare. A good look at your close up pictures indicates the typography on all three of these clasps are somewhat similar in comparing the common letters of 'E', 'S', and 'M'. That may lead to the conclusion they were produced by the same manufacturer; or at the very least had a similar manufacturing template.

 

Looking at the reverse of the bars I would also suggest that the repaired ones previously had the wide back strap, and were thus repaired with the thin rod.

 

I have not yet been able to identify the manufacturer of the examples in my collection but will take on board your suggestion that it is probable the house of Arthus Bertrand.

[Jean-Michel]

Hello Rob,

 

Thanks for your comments and I agree with you, these bars are from the same manufacturer. If Arthus-Bertrand made US victory medals, he must have made bars like Delande. The problem with the sales catalogs is that accessories like bars are not listed on them.

 

I agree with your analysis, the reverse of the bars "MONTDIDIER-NOYON" and "OISE-AISNE" must have had a wide strap on the back.

 

I measured the bars, they have the same height and length. On the other hand, the "SOMME" bar is twice as thick because you can't see the back of the letters.

 

Best regards,

 

Jean-Michel

[ChrisKelly]

These are the only two I have.  

 

First and second images, a medal given to me by a recipient who said it was awarded to him as a member of the Student Army Training Corps.

 

Third and fourth images, a U.S. 29th Infantry Division lot that came together.

 

Edited December 29, 2024 by ChrisKelly