CENTENNIAL MEDAL.
[Hundredth Anniversary of American Independence.]
THESE UNITED COLONIES ARE, AND OF RIGHT OUGHT TO BE, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES.[127] A female figure, personifying the United Colonies, is kneeling, with a sword in her right hand, while she points with her left to a constellation of thirteen stars, emblematical of the thirteen original United States. Exergue: 1776.
IN COMMEMORATION OF THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE. ACT OF CONGRESS JUNE 1874. America personified as a maiden, coiffed with the Phrygian cap of liberty, girt with a sword, and with the shield of the United States of America by her side, is crowning with laurels two female figures representing Manufactures and Arts. On the platform, 1876.
This medal, though not signed, is by William Barber.
ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS.
Act of Congress Authorizing Centennial Medals.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled: That medals with appropriate devices, emblems and inscriptions, commemorative of the Centennial Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, be prepared at the mint at Philadelphia for the Centennial Board of Finance, subject to the provisions of the fifty-second section of the coinage act of eighteen hundred and seventy-three, upon the payment of a sum not less than the cost thereof, and all the provisions whether penal or otherwise of said coinage act against the counterfeiting or imitating of coins of the United States shall apply to the medals struck and issued under the provisions of this act.
Approved June 16, 1874.
Official Notice Promulgated by the Centennial Board of Finance.
United States Centennial Board of Finance,
Philadelphia, March 24, 1875.
It being deemed essential "that medals, with appropriate devices, emblems, and inscriptions, commemorative of the centennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence," should be officially issued, the Congress of the United States, by special act, approved June 16, 1874, directed the same to be prepared at the Mint for the Centennial Board of Finance, subject to the provisions of the fifty-second section of the coinage act of 1873, upon the payment of a sum not less than the cost thereof, and all the provisions, whether penal or otherwise, of said coinage act against the counterfeiting or imitation of coins of the United States shall apply to the medals struck and issued under the provisions of this act. These medals having been prepared and issued are now being sold by the Centennial Board of Finance and its agents, and the profits arising therefrom strictly applied in aid of the preparation for the celebration of the anniversary which the medals commemorate. They are the only medals relating to the great events of 1876, officially issued, and may be readily distinguished from any of the tokens styled Centennial medals and issued by private parties for their individual profit, from the fact that in addition to the designs and other wording, the larger medals have stamped upon them "Act of Congress, June, 1874," and the others, "By authority of the Congress of the U. S."
These official medals are of four kinds: small gilt at $1; large bronze at $2; coin silver at $3; large gilt at $5, or all inclosed in one case at $11. Cautionary notice is hereby given that the Centennial Board of Finance intends to avail itself of the protection and privilege granted by the acts of Congress above mentioned, and that the highly penal provisions for publishing, counterfeiting, or imitating the authorized official medals will be strictly enforced against all infringement and violation.
John Welsh,
Frederick Fraley, Secretary. President Centennial Board of Finance.
1876.
These United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States. ℞. By authority of the Congress, etc.