1913 GOLD CARNEGIE HERO FUND MEDAL

 

(1913) Carnegie Hero Fund Medal. Gold. Awarded to Julius B. Gordon. Mint State, Engraving Effaced.

76 mm. 10.8 ounces, .999 fine, 9.84 troy ounces AGW. Marked on the edge at 6 o'clock 24 K J.E. CALDWELL & CO. PHILA. PAT. DEC. 11. '06. These important medals - the civilian equivalent to the Congressional Medal of Honor - were first awarded in 1904. On March 12 of that year Andrew Carnegie began a Hero Fund commission in Philadelphia to recognize acts of bravery by ordinary Americans. Between 1904 and 2015 the Fund awarded 9,975 medals (and they continue to do so) but, while initially awarded in gold, silver and bronze, the vast majority have been in bronze. Rising precious metals costs forced the elimination of the gold award after only 19 were distributed, the last to Charles L. Coe of Burkburnett, Texas, who died in a fire rescue act in 1923. The silver award followed suit in 1981, after 617 had been distributed, the last to Brian Mervyn Clegg and Robert Stephen Grant for rescue acts performed in 1979.

While we have handled numerous bronze examples over the years, not surprisingly given their high distribution, our online archives back to 2009 include only three different silver examples, awarded in 1907, 1909 and 1920. This is the first gold award medal that we can recall offering, and it is a particularly intriguing specimen. While clearly an awarded example, the inscription to the recipient on the cartouche has been almost completely effaced by numerous tiny digs that, when viewed as a whole, provide a stippled effect to the surface in that area. Close inspection of the penultimate line in the inscription with a loupe, however, reveals traces of the following letters: ER CK OKLA. These are the letters for Frederick, Oklahoma. The third-to-last and penultimate gold Carnegie medals were awarded in 1913 to residents of Frederick, Oklahoma - Charles Zolninger and Julius B. Gordon - for helping to rescue Oliver H. Brewer and Alvah Dean from a cave-in in a well in that town on October 28, 1913. Zolninger and Gordon also received a money award. Two other men (William H. Reed, Sr. and John F. Steinbock) received silver medals and a sum of money for the same rescue.

This is the medal awarded to Julius B. Gordon, and it is identifiable as such by a remnant of the bottom curve of the letter J in his first name below the concentration of tiny digs effacing the inscription at upper left. While technically Mint State, the effacement of the inscription is obviously a significant detraction, and we can only guess as to why it was done. Additionally, there are several fine grazes and nicks to the delicate sand blast finish on both sides, and a couple of minor edge nicks at 7 o'clock on the reverse. The medal is accompanied by the original black leather, green plush interior case of issue from J.E. Caldwell & Co., which is quite tattered, yet complete with a barely functional clasp. Also included in this lot is a research file of printed materials pertaining to the gold Carnegie award medals in general, as well as some biographical information on Julius B. Gordon. (Total: 1 medal; 1 case; 1 document file)

 

To read the complete article, see:
(1913) Carnegie Hero Fund Medal. Gold. Awarded to Julius B. Gordon. Mint State, Engraving Effaced. (https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-1E2WQO/1913-carnegie-hero-fund-medal-gold-awarded-to-julius-b-gordon-mint-state-engraving-effaced)

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