The Vermont Commemorative Half Dollar and the Bennington Battle Medal

[BillJones]

Author's Note:

 

This post is dedicated to "leeg" who is a regular contributor to these boards. He was kind enough to sell an example of the Bennington Battle Medal to me. I had been looking for one of these pieces for a couple years without success.

 

On June 17, 1777 British General, John Burgoyne, set out on a mission that was planned to end or seriously cripple the American War for Independence. British forces, bolstered by hired Hessian soldiers, Indians, and Canadian and American Tories, would capture New York State and in doing so isolate the rebellious New England colonies from the rest of the American colonies. The general perception was that most of hotheads were in New England, and that the rest of colonies would calm down once the British had subdued northern contingent.

 

Burgoyne's strategy featured a three pronged attack. Burgoyne's forces would advance south from Canada, down Lake Champlain and on to the upper Hudson River Valley. At the same time a smaller force would move east from Oswego, in western New York, and through the Mohawk Valley. Finally General William Howe would move his New York City based forces north, up the Hudson River. The plan was for all three armies to merge at Albany, New York.

 

At first Burgoyne's forces did well. They easily captured Fort Ticonderoga which the Americans had already vacated and then routed an American force under General Arthur St. Clair after some fierce fighting. Burgoyne then proceeded south toward Albany anticipating that he would meet British General, Barry St. Leger who was leading the eastern prong of the British offensive. St. Leger was stymied at his siege of Fort Stanwix and was unable to come to Burgoyne's aid.

 

On August 3, Burgoyne got some more bad news. General Howe announced that he was going to attack the patriot capital, Philadelphia, and that he would not be supporting Burgoyne in his New York operations. This crushing blow came as a result of a imprudent order from London. Lord Germain, who was the British minister in charge of the conduct of the war, had ordered Howe to attack both in New York and Philadelphia. Unable to do both, Howe had opted to take the patriot capital, which he did with comparative ease.

 

Burgoyne was now in an untenable position. As he moved further south, a growing number of hostile patriots were sounding his forces, and he was running out of supplies. Burgoyne needed food and other material. He also needed horses to pull his wagons and cannon and to provide mounts for his currently dismounted German mercenary cavalry. Burgoyne sent German Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Baum with a force of mercenaries, Indians and Tories to take Bennington, Vermont where there are stores of the goods Burgoyne's army needed.

 

The Battle of Bennington is one of the most underappreciated victories of the American Revolutionary War. A militia force under General John Stark and the Vermont militia under Seth Warner routed the Hessians and their Indian and Tory allies in a pitched battle. Over all the British lost almost 1,000 men including over 200 dead and 700 prisoners who were marched to Boston. This defeat convinced Britain's Indian allies to leave the field and many of the Tory adventurers abandoned their posts as well.

 

The loss at Bennington helped to seal Burgoyne's fate. In two battles at Freeman's Farm and Bemis Heights, which are now known collectively as the Battle of Saratoga, the British were defeated and forced to surrender.

 

The historical significance of this American victory went much further than a major British defeat. Once news of the battle reached France, the French Government, with some persuasive urging from Benjamin Franklin, made monetary and military commitments to the American cause for independence. The French commitment was based more a desire to embarrass, weaken and humiliate their long time British enemies than to advance the American ideals of liberty and equality.

 

Fast forward 150 years. In 1925 Congress voted to authorize a commemorative half dollar that would celebrate the sesquicentennial of Battle of Bennington and the independence of Vermont. The coin was to be issued in 1927, and the funds from the sale of the coins were to be used by the Vermont Historical Trust to promote the study of Vermont and American history.

 

Final approval for the design of the Vermont commemorative half dollar was in the hands of the Fine Arts Commission. In some cases the commission acted as a rubber stamp, but in this case their "advisory role" became extremely heavy handed. The Fine Arts Commission vetoed almost all of the design ideas proposed by the Vermont Sesquicentennial Commission which was led by John Spargo.

 

The Fine Arts Commission rejected the initial design proposal by New England artist, Sherry Fry. It featured a small, unflattering portrait of Ira Allen, whose more famous big brother, Ethan Allan, was known for his leadership of the Green Mountain Boys. Ira, however, was the more historically influential of the two. The reverse of the Fry design pictured the Bennington Battle Monument, an obelisk that is over 300 feet high. After the rejection of his work, Fry bowed out of the project.

 

The Vermont Commission then hired Charles Keck to design the half dollar. Keck's initial design included a better portrait of Ira Allen on the obverse and view of Fay's Tavern on the reverse. Fay's Tavern had been a place where Ethan Allen and his men had met to drink and plot their strategy. Keck also developed an alternative "war trophy" reverse which a drum, banners, crossed swords and stacked muskets.

 

The Fine Arts Commission rejected the appearance of the tavern because they ruled that it was "an inartistic subject for a coin." In its place they strongly suggested that a catamount (a mountain cat) would be more appropriate. One of the alternative names for the watering hole had been the "Catamount Tavern." At one point the patriots had killed one of the beasts, stuffed it and used it as a sign to the British that they were not welcome there.

 

The catamount ultimately appeared on the reverse of the Vermont commemorative half dollar. Although it might be fine art, the symbolism has since been beyond the comprehension of most observers.

 

 

In addition to the half dollar, the Vermont Sesquicentennial Commission also issued a commemorative medal. The Bennington Battle medal features a tribute to the backwoods militia men who fought the batter on the obverse, and the rejected view of Fay's Tavern on the reverse. The medal was also designed by Charles Keck, and in my opinion is a more appropriate tribute to the men who won the Battle of Bennington than the commemorative half dollar.

 

The Medallic Art Company reduced the models for the medal and half dollar from Charles Keck's plaster molds and stuck the Bennington Battle medal. Medallic Art charged the Vermont Commission $1 for each medal and the Commission sold them for $2 each. Overall the Commission ordered 500 medals, but Medallic Art produced additional pieces which they sold. The evidence of this were payments for royalties that Medallic Art made to the Vermont Commission. In addition there were six medals struck in "solid silver" that awarded to various dignitaries.

 

So, here is my Bennington Battle medal, courtesy of "leeg," after quite a long wait ...

 

 

 

[rockhobby]

Thank you for the glimpse into history Bill. Enjoyable as always.

 

 

Doug

 

[clarkbar04]

Cool medal and history. Thanks for sharing.

[KMAG100]

Very cool.... (thumbs u

[Peter G]

Very Cool

 

 

[leeg]

Thanks Bill for the history lesson, it flow's well.

 

The Medal is a nice piece also.

 

 

(thumbs u

[ldhair]

Fun stuff. Love the history.

[BillJones]

Here are a couple of follow-up items. The first is an example of the medal the Continental Congress awarded General Horatio Gates for his victory at the Saratoga. In reality a medal should have been awarded to ... Benedict Arnold. That's right. The most infamous American traitor in history was one of the most important heroes in one of America's most important military victories.

 

Arnold took the lead in taking aggressive action against the British while Gates stood back and wanted the British to come to him. Toward the end of the battle Arnold suffered a serious leg wound which took him out of the war for an extended period. During his recuperation period he made an unfortunate decision. Had Arnold died a Saratoga he would have been a celebrated hero.

 

The medal that Gates received was struck in gold. The dies and the Gates medal were struck by the French, but the dies were sent to the Philadelphia Mint were a fair number of restrikes were made. This is one of them.

 

 

And here is another little surprise. One of the 2015 quarters is dedicated to the Battle of Saratoga.

 

[johnny9434]

that was a nice read

[MJ]

Tremendous post. Nine years later I'm still looking for my Vermont.

 

 

Mark

[RWB]

Vermont is up north -- north of New York -- or at least north of part of New York, and west of New Hampshire - most of the time.

[leeg]

This piece arrived yesterday:

 

 

 

Not as nice as Bill's though. I still like it.

 

 

[RWB]

 

Original models.

[leeg]

 

Original models.

 

Thanks for adding these Roger. Both very cool.

 

 

 

[leeg]

Was going through my notes and found some new information around this medal:

 

Fraudulent Copies of the Bennington Medal Struck

 

The manufacturer and sculptor of the Bennington Sesqui-centennial medal have discovered that a forgery of the medal has been placed upon the market, and they have taken steps to stop the circulation of these spurious coins, says the Bennington Banner, of Bennington, Vt.

 

As soon as the small first issue of the medals was sold they became extremely rare and there was a considerable demand for them by collectors in all parts of the country and even abroad. Finally the Bennington Battle Monument and Historical Association, through its officers, with the consent and approval of the sculptor Charles keck, entered into an arrangement with the manufacturers whereby a new issue should be made and distributed.

 

Some time afterward the manufacturers and Mr. Keck were greatly puzzled to receive from various parts of the country, letters violently criticizing and condemning the quality of the medals, while at the same time they were receiving letters equally extreme in praise of the high quality of the medals. so violent was the criticism that both artist and manufacturer were convinced that somebody was circulating an unauthorized reproduction. This proved to be the case. copies of the medal were secured and it was found that the genuine medal had been copied, but in a crude fashion. The fake medal was made in lead spelter, heavily coated with a dark brown coating. It appears to have been cast in a mold made from the Sesqui medal. Of course there was a distinct difference in the appearance of the genuine bronze medal and the lead medal.

 

 

The manufacture and distribution of this fake are said to have been definitely traced to a dealer in New Jersey. Steps have been taken to bring about a termination of the issue, says the Banner. The design of the medal is copyrighted, and a few days ago, before sailing to Europe on an important art commission, Mr. Keck gave instructions to prevent the circulation of these copies of his work. Attorneys on behalf of Mr. keck and the manufacturers are bringing suit in the Federal court. So far as is known, this is the only commemorative medal of its kind in the country to be fraudulently copied in that way. It is a high tribute to the artistic excellence of the genuine medal that the fraud was so quickly noticed. Then genuine medal was illustrated on page 218 of the April 1927, issue of THE NUMISMATIST.

 

Courtesy The Numismatist, September, 1928, p. 518-519.

 

Enjoy.

 

 

 

[RWB]

Interesting. Suggests that medals were quite popular in the late 1920s.

[BillJones]

Interesting. Suggests that medals were quite popular in the late 1920s.

 

Yes, that is interesting. I was under the impression that the market for medals died down in the early 1900s. I know that rare medals were just prized from the period just after the Civil War and for several decades after that.

[leeg]

Thanks Roger and Bill for your thoughts.

 

Wanted to add this to the discussion:

 

"We ordered and received from the Medallic Art Company, of New York, 500 Sesqui Medals in individual boxes, for which we paid $500.00.

 

The medals were received by me, John Spargo, (as the person responsible to the Medallic Art Company for the amount of the bill) and were opened by me in the presence of Judge Bates and the number checked by both of us. The entire 500 medals were left with him, and at no time did any other person have anything to do with the sale or delivery of any of the medals. For each medal received from him, I paid Judge Bates the full retail price, namely, two dollars.

 

Two medals were sent to the Royal Mint, London, England, at their request. I paid Judge Bates two dollars for one of these and the understanding was that he was paying for the other. At all events, he did receive $2.00 for one medal that was sent to the Royal Mint. Thus we have to account for 499 medals at $2.00 each (excluding the other medal sent to the Royal Mint) for a total of $998.00 (nine hundred and ninety-eight dollars), each medal remaining on hand to be counted as $2.00.

 

In addition to this, we—that is, Judge Bates and I as co-partners in this enterprise—subsequently entered into a formal agreement with the Medallic Art Company, of New York, under the terms of which we authorized the issue and distribution by them of a re-strike, or second issue, of the medal on a royalty basis, the company paying us a royalty on each medal sold. On that account we received two payments of $94.10 and $53.19, respectively, which sum were deposited in the bank.

 

As against this income, we paid from this fund for the six special medals in solid silver and the special cases which were struck in connection with the Sesqui celebration and went to the following—John Spargo, E. L. Bates, Hon. John E. Weeks, Hon. Frank L. Fish, J. C. Colgate, Esq., and Hon. Fred C. Martin, as set forth in the official account of the proceedings. The amount of this bill with expressage was $92.92.

 

Income:

 

From sale of 499 medals at $2.00 each (any medals now on hand in the possession of the Edward L. Bates Estate being counted a the price of $2.00 per medal) $998.00

 

From royalties on the re-strike issue as above 94.10

 

do do 53.19

_______

Total $1145.20

 

Expenditure:

 

Buy 500 medals at $1.00 each $500.00

 

Buy six silver medals and cases and expressage 92.82

_______

Total $592.82

 

$1145.29

592.82

-------------

True balance $552.47 medals on hand counting for $2.00 each.1"

 

 

1. Correspondence: Vermont Sesquicentennial Commission – miscellaneous on commemorative coin, 1925-1927, Box 22 folder 2. John Spargo Papers, Special Collections, University of Vermont Library.

 

 

[RWB]

Very informative document! This is the kind of thing that helps bring realty to what was done by the event committees and persons responsible for activities.

 

How much did Medallic Art Co. charge for the restrikes and how were they marked ?

[leeg]

Very informative document! This is the kind of thing that helps bring realty to what was done by the event committees and persons responsible for activities.

 

How much did Medallic Art Co. charge for the restrikes and how were they marked ?

Much thanks Roger. I learned from the best.

 

 

 

"MEDALLIC ART COMPANY

137 EAST TWENTY-NINTH STREET,

NEW YORK

 

July 18th 1927.

 

Mr. John Spargo, President,

Vermont State Sesqui-Centennial Commission,

Bennington, Vermont.

 

Dear Mr. Spargo:-

 

Mr. Keck returned to town and I talked to him yesterday. . .

 

Now as to our price on this second lot of medals. It will be $1.25. . .

 

If there is to be a quantity of them engraved we will charge you but 4¢ per letter for this engraving. The lists should be sent to us, however, in advance of the actual coloring of the medal as naturally the engraver’s tool cuts into the metal and leaves a bright ugly surface in the finish if they are engraved after they are colored.

 

I do not know when you have to have this medal, or when Mr. Keck is to get the models to us, but we will give it prompt attention upon receipt of his models.

 

Thanking you for your advice both as to going ahead with the second medal and authorizing the price on the first one, at your earliest convenience, I am

 

Very truly yours

 

MEDALLIC ART COMPANY

(signed) C.C. Trees

Secy-Treas."1

 

 

1. Correspondence: Vermont Sesquicentennial Commission – miscellaneous on commemorative coin, 1925-1927, Box 22 folder 2 John Spargo Papers, Special Collections, University of Vermont Library.

 

 

[RWB]

Were MACO engraving the buyer's name on the medals, or sone identifying mark on the edge?

[leeg]

Were MACO engraving the buyer's name on the medals, or sone identifying mark on the edge?

 

 

". . . V

HISTORICAL PAGEANT AND PRESENTATION OF MEDALS

 

In addition to the foregoing, there were two performances of the Historical pageant, afternoon and evening. At the afternoon performance all the school children who had participated in the morning parade were admitted free of charge. The performance was in fact primarily arranged for their benefit. Both performances attracted large and enthusiastic attendances, despite the extremely cold weather that prevailed. The evening performance was in honor of Governor Weeks, who attended with his staff.

 

A pleasing feature of the celebration which took place during this day was the informal presentation of silver replicas of the Vermont-Bennington Sesqui-Centennial medal to the following gentlemen: Governor John E. Weeks, Frank L. Fish, James C. Colgate, Fred C. Martin, Edward L. Bates and John Spargo. Six copies of the medal only were struck in silver. They were struck from the same dies as the original bronze issue. Each medal was engraved on the edge with the name of the recipient and enclosed in a specially designed exhibition case of green morocco with the name of the recipient in gold on the top. The cost of these much-prized gifts was not charged to the Commission or to any regular fund, but was defrayed from profits on the sale of the bronze medals." 1.

 

 

1. The Vermont Sesqui-Centennial Commission (1927, Authorized by Act of the Legislature), A record of the Celebration held at Bennington, August 13-16, 1927, in Honor of the One Hundred and Fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Bennington and the One Hundred and Fiftieth Year of the Separate Existence of the State of Vermont. The Lane Press, Inc. Burlington, VT.

 

 

Vermont Sesqui-Centennial Commission. Courtesy John Spargo Papers, Special Collections, University of Vermont Library.

 

 

[comicdonna]

I wonder if the whereabouts of any of the 6 silver medals are known today?

[RWB]

Well - they attracted Pres. Coolidge so it must have been important at the time. (He's at center with the hat in hand and his usually jovial grin.) But, maybe that's Cal's cousin, Rockeldge Coolidge.

[leeg]

I wonder if the whereabouts of any of the 6 silver medals are known today?

Great question comicdonna. I was wondering and researching this myself. Listed below is all I've been able to find, so far.

 

1927 Vermont Sesquicentennial Medal. Bronze, 63mm, by Medallic Art, unsigned. Edge with number 2 impressed. Obv: Frontiersman with flintlock rifle, rev: Fay's Tavern, Battle of Bennington 1777-1927. Courtesy of Ira & Larry Goldberg, Pre-Long Beach, May 28-31, 2006, Lot 506.

 

Goldberg's Images:

 

 

 

Well - they attracted Pres. Coolidge so it must have been important at the time. (He's at center with the had in hand and his usually jovial grin.) But, maybe that's Cal's cousin, Rockeldge Coolidge.

Roger as I'm sure you know, Pres. Coolidge was born in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, on July 4, 1872, and attended the centennial celebration of Vermont’s statehood featuring dedication of the Bennington Battle Monument; hears President Benjamin Harrison deliver an address, and attended the ceremony for the Bennington Battle Monument, August 18, 1891.

 

 

 

[comicdonna]

Great stuff. I never even knew two presidents were born in Vermont. I live about 12 miles from where Chester A Arthur was born. Perhaps, some of the silver ones still remain in their heirs possession.

[RWB]

I wonder if the whereabouts of any of the 6 silver medals are known today?

Great question comicdonna. I was wondering and researching this myself. Listed below is all I've been able to find, so far.

 

1927 Vermont Sesquicentennial Medal. Bronze, 63mm, by Medallic Art, unsigned. Edge with number 2 impressed. Obv: Frontiersman with flintlock rifle, rev: Fay's Tavern, Battle of Bennington 1777-1927. Courtesy of Ira & Larry Goldberg, Pre-Long Beach, May 28-31, 2006, Lot 506.

 

Goldberg's Images:

 

 

 

Well - they attracted Pres. Coolidge so it must have been important at the time. (He's at center with the had in hand and his usually jovial grin.) But, maybe that's Cal's cousin, Rockeldge Coolidge.

Roger as I'm sure you know, Pres. Coolidge was born in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, on July 4, 1872, and attended the centennial celebration of Vermont’s statehood featuring dedication of the Bennington Battle Monument; hears President Benjamin Harrison deliver an address, and attended the ceremony for the Bennington Battle Monument, August 18, 1891.

 

 

Yes. I once photographed the Coolidge presidential medals and coins in the homestead's attic while John C. watched a football game on TV downstairs. I recall an especially garish Brazilian award with sash and gold plated solar rays.

[leeg]

[leeg]

Great stuff. I never even knew two presidents were born in Vermont. I live about 12 miles from where Chester A Arthur was born. Perhaps, some of the silver ones still remain in their heirs possession.

Thanks. I agree.