US Army China Relief Campaign Medal

[flagshtoc]

Hello!
please help me determine the authenticity of the medal. Is it authentic?

Do I understand correctly that the letter "M" in front of the number means the 6th Cavalry Regiment?

 

[Bill Brouillard Jr.]

M stands for the US Mint which manufactured this medal - Medals that prefix MNo. are not traceable on the medal rolls - These medals were sold to veterans who had left the military when the medals came out. The veteran would send his money to the mint and they would mail him a medal - However the data for these medals was never captured into rolls or databases.

 

The M has nothing to do with the 6th Cavalry.

 

Bill

[Stogieman]

Great information Bill, thanks!

[flagshtoc]

9 hours ago, Bill Brouillard Jr. said:

M stands for the US Mint which manufactured this medal - Medals that prefix MNo. are not traceable on the medal rolls - These medals were sold to veterans who had left the military when the medals came out. The veteran would send his money to the mint and they would mail him a medal - However the data for these medals was never captured into rolls or databases.

 

The M has nothing to do with the 6th Cavalry.

 

Bill

Thank you so much! Do I understand correctly that the medal is of the old original edition?

[Bill Brouillard Jr.]

The No. Medals came out in 1908 and I was told that the MNo. medals came out around 1909.

 

So it is a correct period medal from 1909.

 

Bill

[flagshtoc]

1 hour ago, Bill Brouillard Jr. said:

The No. Medals came out in 1908 and I was told that the MNo. medals came out around 1909.

 

So it is a correct period medal from 1909.

 

Bill

thank you, Bill! 

[jstrandberg]

A bit late to the party, but I would like to elaborate on Bill's comments. The M.No numbered medals were the result of Congress' decision in 1914, that qualified veterans should be allowed to purchase their medals. The Army decided to allow the Mint to assume the task and sell directly to veterans. China Campaign Medal M.No. 252 was struck July 14, 1914.

 

In 1928, when Congress decided that medals should be free to qualified veterans, the Army took on the responsibility of providing these medals, and the decision was made to award contracts to private commercial firms. These commercially made medals were numbered with unprefixed numbers, beginning with the last No. numbered Mint medal. For example, the last No. numbered Army Civil War medal is No. 600 and the first contracted number (awarded to Bastian Brothers in 1929) is 601.

[Bill Brouillard Jr.]

2 hours ago, jstrandberg said:

A bit late to the party, but I would like to elaborate on Bill's comments. The M.No numbered medals were the result of Congress' decision in 1914, that qualified veterans should be allowed to purchase their medals. The Army decided to allow the Mint to assume the task and sell directly to veterans. China Campaign Medal M.No. 252 was struck July 14, 1914.

 

In 1928, when Congress decided that medals should be free to qualified veterans, the Army took on the responsibility of providing these medals, and the decision was made to award contracts to private commercial firms. These commercially made medals were numbered with unprefixed numbers, beginning with the last No. numbered Mint medal. For example, the last No. numbered Army Civil War medal is No. 600 and the first contracted number (awarded to Bastian Brothers in 1929) is 601.

Well said...I was not sure as to the yer that MNo. medals were made available.