"1900" Medal Barac-32 Gilt Bronze Boxer Rebellion China Relief Expedition

Coin Details

Description

This gilt bronze medal cataloged as Barac-32 commemorates the Boxer Rebellion and the China Relief Expedition of 1900. The Boxer Rebellion was an anti-foreign, anti-Christian uprising in China led by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists (dubbed "Boxers" by Westerners) that besieged foreign legations in Beijing from June to August 1900. An international coalition of eight nations, including the United States, assembled a relief force that fought its way from the port of Tientsin to Beijing to rescue the trapped diplomats and civilians. American forces under Major General Adna Chaffee participated in the relief expedition, marking one of the first major overseas military deployments by the United States. The gilt bronze composition features a thin gold wash over the bronze substrate, giving the medal a more prestigious appearance than plain bronze while remaining more affordable than solid gold. The Barac catalog provides a systematic numbering for commemorative medals of this type, and the designation Barac-32 places this within the military campaign medal series.

Rarity Notes

Gilt bronze medal commemorating the Boxer Rebellion. The gilt finish is susceptible to wear, and examples with intact gilding command premiums over worn specimens. Collected within both military medal and Far East history specialties.

Cross References

PCGS #927778; Barac-32