Battle of Trenton Monument

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Obverse: Monument, above, TRENTON BATTLE MONUMENT. Below, CORNER STONE LAID DEC. 26, 1891 DEDICATED OCT. 19. 1893.

Reverse: Bust of Washington LEFT, TO COMMEMORATE THE BATTLE OF TRENTON, N. J. / DECEMBER 26. 1776. Below the bust, BECHTEL TRENTON.

 

I've always been intrigued and peeved by early medals with holes. I know the holes were made to make watch fobs, attach to ribbons and pins, and many pieces were made with the hole and are rarely available without a hole. I couldn't resist acquiring this piece with the ribbon intact. To my mind, it makes the hole acceptable!

 

The medal commemorates the corner stone laying and dedication of the Battle of Trenton Monument. General Washington managed to get his troops across the icy Delaware River on Christmas night, 1776. Two other divisions failed in their attempts to cross the river the same night. Although his forces were only a third of that planned, he engaged the British at Trenton and prevailed after an hour long battle with no American casualties. The battle helped turn the tide against the British. Three years after the battle, colonial secretary of state for King George III, Lord Germain, told Parliament “… all our hopes were blasted by that unhappy affair at Trenton.”

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My so-called dollar collection focuses on aluminum pieces, but I branched out to collect a set for the California Midwinter International Exposition. As I noted above, I'm intrigued by medals with original ribbons attached, so when I had the chance to acquired the following item, I jumped.

 

 

The New Jersey Sesquicentennial Celebration medal commemorates Washington crossing the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton Monument. The medals are encountered in bronze and silver-plated bronze. Hibler and Kappen noted they were very rare, but they do appear from time to time. I believe those surviving looped with the original ribbon are likely indeed rare. Even thought the silver plating has deteriorated, I junped at this piece as the perfect companion to my Battle of Trenton piece.

[Art]

Great medals. I can see why you'd expand your collecting focus to pickup Delaware Crossing medal.

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I suspect the Battle of Trenton Monument dedication medal and ribbon is the official medal sold by the local association raising funds to build the monument. The Morris May jewelery store commissioned a commemorative spoon which they sold in their Trenton store. The souvenir program of the monument's dedication on October 19, 1893 states that the official souvenir medal features the monument on one side and Stuart's portrait of Washington on the other. Given that Stuart produced maybe 1000 portraits of Washington, its hard to tell which might have been used as a model (although it is likely on of the few most famous portraits). I suspect the official medal is the on pictured earlier in this trhread with the monument displayed on the outward facing side of the ribbon.

 

A second, rarer version of the medal, was struck in bronze and white metal and is also known attached to a ribbon. I've managed to acquire a white metal example without the ribbon (Baker C-324A).

 

 

The General Washington obverse is the same as used for several medals issued for the American centennial (e.g. Baker 394, 404, 405, 434).

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I've expanded this collection to include related Battle Monument items. From 1893, a Lord's Prayer souvenir.

 

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The Battle of Trenton began with the famed crossing of the Delaware on Christmas as commemorated on this National Commemorative Society medal from 1976.

 

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125th Anniversary Ribbon for the Battle of Trenton, 1901. The celluloid pinback was produced by Whitehead & Hoag.

 

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A bronze Battle Of Trenton commemorative medal struck for the American Legion by the Franklin Mint. The reverse is the battle map.

 

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I recently added the sesquicentennial so-called dollar in the tradition format (i.e. without a loop or ribbon). Silver-plated: