Biggest Newp of the Year...1885 Gold Life Saving Medal

AnkurJ · April 25, 2011 12:32PM

A big thanks to board member cohodk and to John Kraljevich for arranging me to pick up this amazing piece. I saw one posted earlier in the year, and fell in love with the design. Since I will probably never own a Stella, this is the next best thing.

And....I figured I would post this before Ryk's summer vacation.

I'm sure you will like this Ryk even though its not dirty.

This medal was rewarded by President Grover Cleavland in 1885 to Captain Guenberg of the German ship Ceres for his rescue of the crew of the Josie M Anderson. The ship, Josie M Anderson, departed from Perth Amboy, NJ and was going to Port Royal, South Carolina. This medal is very close to home, as I live in the town where Grover Cleavland was born. And I have visited Perth Amboy and Sandy Hook in New Jersey many times as well.

Here is an article from the New York Times about the sinking of the ship and the rescue:

Rescued in Midocean

And here is an article about President Cleavland presenting multiple awards to Captain Guenberg:

Notes from the Capital

Ankur

keyman64 · April 25, 2011 12:42PM

TexasNationals · April 25, 2011 12:54PM

Doesn't the Whitman token book show these valued at 30-40K US issued life saving to a foreign savior?

llafoe · April 25, 2011 12:55PM

Very Nice! I love Naval related items!

pmac · April 25, 2011 12:57PM

Do you have ancestors that were rescued during this event?

AnkurJ · April 25, 2011 1:14PM

<< <i>Do you have ancestors that were rescued during this event? >>

Nope. I am actually the first generation in this country. It would be amazing to locate the family of the sailors though.

AuroraBorealis · April 25, 2011 1:49PM

That is one very cool piece... Congrats and awesome to keep in your family...Would love to see a pic after your case is made...

AB

SaorAlba · April 25, 2011 9:08PM

Beautiful medal with a great story. I think without objects like this we would forget how perilous life was back then - ship sinkings, railroad accidents, horse and buggy accidents, fires etc took huge tolls then. Life sure is a lot easier now.

BigRick · April 25, 2011 9:26PM

AnkurJ · April 26, 2011 12:03AM

Its amazing yet sad that the family had to sell this. I am guessing this medal went back to Germany with Captain Gruenberg, but obviously found its way back to the states. The family must have been in dire straights to sell this heirloom.