Re: Original "Kittanning Destroyed" medal sold

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Comments:
: : Friends, fellow Kittanning Trekkers, and other thrill-seekers!
: :  
: : I have just returned from the fine city of Baltimore where I witnessed the sale at auction of an original Kittanning Destroyed medal. I had gone with the hopes of perhaps bringing it home. 
: :  
: : The silver medal, which has been in a LARGE private collection since 1972, is near uncirculated condition with minor dings and marks. There were also 2 copper restrikes, one done between 1760 and 1800, the other between 1830 and 1874, when the dies were finally destroyed. These 2 medals showed varying degrees of die damage.
: :  
: : It is surmised that, since the silver medals were awarded to only Lt. Col. Armstrong and the officers who were on the Kittanning Expedition, and survived it, there were only 20 struck. This medal is the first ever awarded for valor in battle and is the first struck in America. This makes three originals I know about, and possibly five, although I have not verifyed two of them.
: :  
: : The starting bid was $8000 and the knockdown price was $58,000 (Yep! You read that right!!) for the silver medal. The restrikes were $500/$1700 and $200/$380, respectively. While I had prepared to spend some money to buy it, I jumped out early on the silver medal!
: : ...and my bank account and Civil War collection is still intact!
: :  
: : Oh, yes...and I did have a fine buffet dinner last night provided for registered bidders by the auction house.
: :  
: : Mike Slease
: : Lt. Col. John Armstrong,
: : Kittanning Trek 2000
: :  
: : P.S.-- I will be VERY happy with the silver medals we had made (copies of the original, with modifications so they cannot be passed off as originals)to help finance our trek! I will be wearing it at The Gathering, as I do anytime I do an event. Just ask...I will be proud to show it to you!

: : My daughter says "holy crap!!!  Well, at least you wont be sleeping outside with snookie and 
: : coco...mom wouldve made your bed there if you had come home with that medal 
: : last night for 58,000....... 

: : i hope you ate alot....LOL"

: : FYI Snookie and Coco are deceased pets...a guinea pig and our dog...buried in our shade garden.....!!

: **********************

: Well, something ELSE I've learned from you about this period in history - that was soooo interesting!!  It must have been amazing just SEEING that silver medal!! It would be akin to touching the dressed stone of our local Abbey, built in 1095, knowing that the stones were put in place by monks, men, who lived nearly a thousand years ago. I touch them and I imagine they still hold the warmth of those stonemason's hands, as they crafted something which was to stand for a thousand years.  It's almost beyond imagining, isn't it?

: As so with that silver medal - cast and presented to men who fought for something they believed in - pinned on their chests for all to know of their courage and their valour.  To set eyes on these symbols, hoping perhaps to be their 'keeper', if only for a moment in time - it's almost beyond imagining, isn't it??

: Thank you for telling us about this medal - I'm honoured you cared to tell us about this (very obviously) special trip of yours.

: Kate.


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