1923 Medal NY State Volunteers 70mm Bronze Spanish American War 25th Anniv.

Coin Details

Description

The 1923 New York State Volunteers 70mm bronze medal commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Spanish-American War, honoring the New York troops who served in the conflict of 1898. New York provided a disproportionately large share of volunteer soldiers for the war against Spain, reflecting both the state's large population and the intense patriotic fervor that swept the nation following the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898. The 70mm (approximately 2.75 inches) diameter makes this a substantial commemorative piece suitable for display or presentation. The bronze composition and military subject matter place it within the tradition of veterans' reunion and anniversary medals that flourished in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The obverse features military imagery or New York State symbolism, while the reverse carries inscriptions documenting the 25th anniversary celebration and honoring the veterans of 1898. The Spanish-American War, though brief — lasting only about three months of active combat — transformed the United States into a colonial power with possessions spanning from the Caribbean to the Pacific. New York volunteers served in Cuba alongside Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders and in the Philippines, where the brief Spanish conflict gave way to a prolonged insurgency. By 1923, the surviving veterans were entering middle age, and anniversary commemorations served both to honor their service and to preserve the memory of a conflict increasingly overshadowed by the far more devastating World War I.

Rarity Notes

Veterans reunion and anniversary medals were typically produced in quantities sufficient for surviving members of the commemorated units. The 70mm size indicates a premium commemorative. Spanish-American War medals are a specialized collecting area.

Cross References

PCGS #918105; New York State Volunteers; Spanish-American War 1898; 25th Anniversary