This is an excellent, clean example of G.A.R. membership badge and is one of several we recently acquired from the War Library and Museum of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the U.S. (MOLLUS,) the veterans’ organization composed of former Union officers. This form of G.A.R. badge was introduced in 1869. This version shows the 1880 version of the eagle, changed to avoid confusion with the upraised wing style used on medals of honor, but with sharper wing tips than the Type-V, without the kettle on campfire motif on the reverse of the eagle, or the three additional corps badge symbols added on the reverse in 1886, and with the mistaken use of a six-pointed star for the five-pointed star of the 20^th Corps on the reverse.  Numbered on the edge, “E3137”.

The eagle at top is posed to defend the flag. The medal obverse shows the goddess Minerva, associated with justice, wisdom, and victory, stands over a soldier and sailor clasping hands representing Loyalty and Fraternity, and two children receiving protection, representing Charity, the three cardinal precepts of the organization. Around the vignette the border reads: "GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC" and "1861 VETERANS 1866,” the dates referring to the official start and end dates of the war that qualified veterans for membership. At the corners of the star are branch of service insignia. On the reverse the national shield at center is protected by rings of the insignia of the various army corps in keystones, stars representing the states and departments of the G.A.R. around the edge and sprigs of laurel in the upper two corners and the three more corps badges in the lower three. Founded in 1866 and dissolved in 1956 with the death of its last member, the organization reached a membership of 410,000 in 1890 and was an national political force with a natural interest in veterans’ affairs.

This comes from the recently dispersed collections of the War Library and Museum in Philadelphia. Incorporated in 1888 by the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, the veterans’ organization for Union officers, the museum was the repository for a world-class collection of artifacts housed since 1922 in a Philadelphia townhouse. The museum closed in 2008. Many of their holdings made their way to other institutions, but we recently purchased a number pieces from them at auction.

The condition is very good to excellent. The bronze has a nice patina. The flag ribbon has good color on the reverse, but a little fading to the front. A museum inventory paper label is on the front and the pin has later inventory number on the reverse. We would leave these both in place as indicators of the provenance.  [sr][ph:L]

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