Help with this medal???

[Bayou Joe]

Dug this today on a construction site that dates back to the 1500's. We have dug items from as far back as the early 1800's. I finally got this cleaned enough to see a ship and looks like maybe an 89 something above the ship, but I'm not 100% sure since its not centered and very hard to make out. Nothing on the back. Hoping someone can tell me what this is and age. Thanks

 

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[jewelerguy]

any way you can get a closer pic of the ship? might just be the toning of the back, but almost looks like the back has a swooping scroll design running up and down on the left hand side. those designs are commonly on 'if found return to:' tags. either way some closer pics will help ID it

 

[mirage83]

The mast reminds me of a WWI battleship.

 

[deepsecrets]

3 funnel Dreadnought battleship (maybe pre-Dreadnought) would make it 1890's - 1905 era. Might be a US ship, but other countries had similiar battleship designs back then.

Could be a Great White Fleet commemorative medallion from 1908

 

[Bayou Joe]

That's about the best I could do without it being out of focus. I will see if maybe some better lighting will help

 

[mirage83]

3 funnel Dreadnought battleship (maybe pre-Dreadnought) would make it 1890's - 1905 era. Might be a US ship, but other countries had similiar battleship designs back then.

Could be a Great White Fleet commemorative medallion from 1908

I've found several 3-funnel US battleships from the 1905-1920 period, but none of which have the elevated bow shown on the medallion/medal. I'm thinking perhaps British from the same or just slightly earlier period?

 

[BosnMate]

I took the liberty of brightening the picture and also enlarging it, hope you don't mind. It does look like a WW! war ship.

 

[mirage83]

Took another look, I'd say that it's a US battleship, Connecticut class, part of the Great White Fleet as Deepsecrets mentioned previously. Can't really make out the main batteries which would help positively ID it, but the general lines as well as the funnels and masts seem to match the Connecticut, Louisiana, Vermont, Kansas, or Minnesota. I'm thinking the elevated bow on the medallion is exaggerated and that threw me off trying to identify the ship or at least class.

 

[mirage83]

Can you make out any details on the reverse side of the medal? Different medals were made to depict the arrival of the GWF to different cities and/or countries. The ship appears to be the same on most of them, but the reverse side shows different people depending on the destination.

 

[jewelerguy]

found this one on the net. looks to be the same medallion, and is attributed to the battleship Maine. makes sense, seeing as how there was a huge patriotic outcry after the loss of the Maine. Lots of pins, ribbons, and medallions were put out. Battleship Maine Pictured

 

[deepsecrets]

found this one on the net. looks to be the same medallion, and is attributed to the battleship Maine. makes sense, seeing as how there was a huge patriotic outcry after the loss of the Maine. Lots of pins, ribbons, and medallions were put out. Battleship Maine Pictured

Could be.. the USS Maine that blew up in Havana was a two funnel battleship. Her replacement had 3 funnels.