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GETTYSBURG 75th ANNIVERSARY MEDAL WITH BOX, SHIPPING BOX, SOUVENIR TIE CLASP AND RIBBON/PIN

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An original official veteran’s badge for the Gettysburg 75^th anniversary ceremonies in 1938. A bronze eagle spreads its wings over both Union and Confederate shields, backed by a blue and gray ribbon, with the round planchet showing the bound rods and ax symbolizing the Roman republic, and by extension our own, with “”75^th ANNIVERSARY” in raised letters along the top edge and “BATTLE OF GETTSYBURG” along the bottom. This comes with its original blue case lettered in white on the lid: “Presented by the United States on the 75^th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.” Rarer still, though perhaps less impressive, is the two-part cardboard shipping carton in which these were sent out to responding veterans.  Invitations to attend had been sent to surviving veterans and the badges were to be supplied inscribed with the veteran’s name as a means of identification, with the government paying all expenses, including transportation for the veteran and one attendant, who would receive a badge of different form. The bar on this one is uninscribed, indicating it was not sent out. Planning had begun about two years before the event, which actually ran from June 29 to July 6, 1938, with the government estimating 2,000 veterans would attend, which was close to the mark with the official tally at 25 actual veterans of the battle attending, along with another 1,359 Union veterans and 486 Confederate. The climax of the occasion was the dedication of the Eternal Light Peace Memorial with a speech by President Roosevelt on July 3, 1938.

The medal, its case and shipping box are accompanied by two souvenirs sold at the time to veterans and visitors: a celluloid pinback button with blue and gray ribbon, picturing the Eternal Light Peace Memorial and reading at top: “75^th ANNIVERSARY / BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG / BLUE AND GRAY REUNION / JUNE 29 TO JULY 6” and at bottom, “Eternal Light Peace Memorial / Dedication July 3.” The back of the button has the pin intact and an advertising insert reading: “Mitchell’s Restaurant and Souvenirs Gettysburg. Pa.” Also in the group is a small gold color tie clasp and chain, rather art-deco in design, with one part reading “Gettysburg” at top and “Memorial” at bottom in gold letters on black, with the Pennsylvania state memorial at center, and the other end with a small pin reading “38” also in gold on black. This is fixed on white card with blue chevron, printed in red at upper right, “Souvenir of / 75^th Anniversary / Battle of / Gettysburg“ and “Made / in U.S.A. / Copyright 1937” at bottom left.

All of these are in excellent condition with exception of the card for the tie clasp, which shows some cracks and penciled “25,” that would probably erase. They merit a place in any collection of Gettysburg veteran and Civil War veteran material, showing the public push to some form of a national reconciliation as time went on, also merit a place in any collection devoted to showing how the battle came down in various forms with varied meanings and interpretations in popular culture.   [sr][ph:L]

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