This Medal is huge at 3 inches across, approximately 1/4 inch thick and it weighs 8 ounces, made of bronze. This Medal is quite a beauty, no dings or problem areas at all. If you have a large Medal to show, here's your chance, please feel free to post pics! I just got this one today and I was quite impressed with it! Lastly, Barber died in 1917 so it had to be made before that. Sellers pics as mine looked terrible, just sharing and showing it off for discussion!
This medal, which was awarded to U. S. Grant for his victories at Chattanooga and Vicksburg, measures 105 mm. Believe or not the piece that was awarded to Grant was in sold gold! Next to a silver dollar The piece is in the Smithsonian. Here it is with the box in which it was housed when it was awarded to Grant.
Looks like it shows the unmistakable signs of early-20th-century Smithsonian "conservation", too. "I still see some dust. Scrub harder!"
Yes, the Smithsonian has not been kind to its coins over the years with respect to cleaning. I still remember seeing one of their 1804 Dollars when I was a YN and thinking, "But it's been cleaned." In their defense, this medal is very heavy and soft. It's easy to damage it. You can get hairlines from the velvet lining in the box.
This political parade medal is similar. It is almost five inches in diameter, but it is hollow; it's just a shell. A piece like this would have been worn by an important party official during an event. This one is quite nice. These are often seen with a lot of dents. It is easily damaged. Issues of the day are covered on the back.
This is turning into a very nice Medal Parade thread, post em' if you got em'! The Barber Medal I posted above is the first big one I was able to buy, glad I'm able to show it to others! Very educational for me!
