Medals relating to the Marquis de Lafayette

This medal was the fifth issue in the Circle of Friends of the Medallion series.

The obverse bears a bust l. of Lafayette in Garde Nationale uniform. Legend below, MARIE JOSEPH PAVL / YVES ROCHE GILBERT DVMOTIER / MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE / MAJOR GENERAL IN THE SERVICE OF / THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / AND NOBLEST PATRIOT OF THE / FRENCH REVOLTION; signed J E ROINE. The reverse bears Liberty advancing with sword, falgsm eagle, 1776 on rising sun, 1789 in clouds. Dedication below, AD PERPETVAM REI / MEMORIAM / MCMXI (for the everlasting memory of the events); signed J E ROINE.

The medal measures 47mm x 77mm and was produced by the J.K. Davison Company of Philadelphia. Its mintage is probably known... but unfortunately not to the author of this page.

The obverse bears statue of LaFayette on horseback. To left and right, LAFA - YETTE / WE - ARE / HERE; signed at right, (JF monogram)

The looped medal's reverse bears statue of Lafayette, half right. Around, COMM· DEDIC· OF THE STATUE OF LAFA-YETTE PRES· TO THE CITY OF METZ BY THE / KNIGHTS - OF COLUMBUS; to left and right of statue, SEPT - EMBER / VI - MCMXX; signed in right field, (JF monogram)

It was in the year 1775 in the French city of Metz that the Marquis de LaFayette committed himself to the cause of the American Revolution. He became one of the central figures of the revolution and gained the undying gratitude of the young nation. In 1919, the Knights of Columbus sponsored an equestrian statue of LaFayette

"to commemorate the fraternal participation of France to the foundation of the United State (1775-1783) and to immortalize the sacrifice of the glorious French and American soldiers who died on the battlefields of Liberty, in 1914-1918."

In August 1920 one of the famous equestrian statues of Lafayette by the American sculptor P.W. Bartlett, was inaugurated in the Square Boufflers of Metz, near the very place where Lafayette stood in 1775 at the Governor's Palace.

The medal measures 41mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. Its mintage is not reported.

References: Marqusee 147

The medal's obverse bears standing figure of Lafayette, with right arm leaning onto pedestal with conjoined busts of Washington and Franklin. On pedestal, AMERICA'S / ADOPTED / SON; around, MDCCLVII - LAFAYETTE - MDCCCXXXIV; signed in exergue, 19 (JF monogram) 34

The medal's reverse depicts sword intertwined with branches of laurel, oak, and palm at center. Surrounding legend, THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LAFAYETTE -/- MAY XX - MCMXXXIV / CENTENARY OF HIS DEATH."

The edge is marked MEDALLIC ART CO.N.Y.

John Flanagan had already created a Lafayette medal in 1920 to commemorate the Knights' of Columbus donation of a Statue of Lafayette to the French city of Metz.

The medal measures 64mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its mintage is not reported.

References: MACo 1934-024, Baker 200