Commemorative Medals

Commemorative medals honor outstanding people, events, and sites of special meaning to the American people.  Many of these medals are replicas of Congressional gold medals.  Bronze (mixed copper and zinc) replica commemorative medals are available for sale to the public through the United States Mint's online catalog.  Some recent awardees include:

• Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, M.D.
• Dalai Lama
• Dr. Norman Borlaug
• Byron Nelson
• Tuskegee Airmen
• Brown v. the Board of Education
• Dr. Dorothy Height
• 2003 National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Medal Series

Military

The forerunners of modern combat decorations were gold and silver medals. The Continental Congress awarded these to commanders of the Revolutionary War. The first such medal, struck in gold, was awarded to Captain John Paul Jones. Other medals have commemorated:

• The War with Mexico
• The Civil War
• Battles at sea
• Vietnam veterans
• The Persian Gulf National Medal
• Those missing in action
• The 200th anniversaries of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard

Aviation

Charles A. Lindbergh was awarded a Congressional gold medal in 1928 for his historic flight from New York to Paris. Those honored in subsequent years include:

• Robert H. Goddard (for research on rockets and jet propulsion)
• General Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager (first to fly faster than the speed of sound)
• Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker (aviation leadership and service)
• Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson, and Larry Newman (first successful trans-Atlantic balloon)

Government

Medals have been produced for such leaders and statesmen as:

• Sam Rayburn
• Robert F. Kennedy
• Hubert H. Humphrey
• Simon Wiesenthal
• Elie Wiesel
• Roy Wilkins
• Lady Bird Johnson
• Anatoly and Avital Shcharansky
• Laurance Spelman Rockefeller
• Billy and Ruth Graham
• Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

Arts and Culture

Those honored with Congressional gold medals for contributions to art, music, poetry, sports, literature, and the movies include:

• Robert Frost
• Marian Anderson
• John Wayne
• Joe Louis
• George and Ira Gershwin
• Aaron Copland
• Andrew Wyeth
• Jesse Owens

Historic Events

Medals have honored events, historic dates, and outstanding organizations such as:

• The George Washington/Mount Vernon Bicentennial
• The U.S. Diplomatic Presentation
• The U.S. Secret Service Centennial
• The American Red Cross Centennial
• The Yosemite National Park Centennial

• United States Mint and Treasury Medals
• Presidential Medals
• Return to Medals Main Page

Oct 17, 2007
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