Posted 03/23/2023 11:02 am
@ENC_Conservative: I'm aware of commemorative/souvenir medals being issued for the launch/dedication/christening of US Navy ships since 1960 - but it may have started even earlier.
In 1960, the US aircraft carrier USS Enterprise had a souvenir medal struck for distribution at its christening in Newport News, VA. The medal was placed in a custom-printed cardboard holder and placed in a commemorative envelope. A larger version of the medal was also available for general sale.
Your USS Los Angeles and USS Cincinnati medals appear to be similar. I would guess each was distributed to VIPs and others in attendance at each sub's launching/keel laying.
Details on such medals - artist(s) responsible, mintage figures, etc. - are typically difficult to locate as they often weren't made for general release and didn't need marketplace promotion to fulfill their objective. One potential source of information would be to track down press releases for the events. they might contain mentions of the medal(s).
One word of caution: I would not continue to store your medal in the plastic case on the foam pad. That foam is notorious for breaking down, sticking to the items placed on it and forever etching the surface of a medal.
Note: My comments here also apply to the acrylic-embedded Ike dollar coins you presented in your post about them.
In 1960, the US aircraft carrier USS Enterprise had a souvenir medal struck for distribution at its christening in Newport News, VA. The medal was placed in a custom-printed cardboard holder and placed in a commemorative envelope. A larger version of the medal was also available for general sale.
Your USS Los Angeles and USS Cincinnati medals appear to be similar. I would guess each was distributed to VIPs and others in attendance at each sub's launching/keel laying.
Details on such medals - artist(s) responsible, mintage figures, etc. - are typically difficult to locate as they often weren't made for general release and didn't need marketplace promotion to fulfill their objective. One potential source of information would be to track down press releases for the events. they might contain mentions of the medal(s).
One word of caution: I would not continue to store your medal in the plastic case on the foam pad. That foam is notorious for breaking down, sticking to the items placed on it and forever etching the surface of a medal.
Note: My comments here also apply to the acrylic-embedded Ike dollar coins you presented in your post about them.
Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
