MEDAL BROOCH GUIDE

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UNITED STATES AWARD BROOCHES 1900'S - CURRENT

For a beginning collector of U.S. Medals, a basic understanding of Brooch Styles is necessary to determine your medal's age. This guide is meant to give a basic knowledge of brooches, and their relative ages. Exact dates of issue do change from medal-to-medal, and they do overlap, as stocks of older style brooches were used up when a newer style was introduced. First of all, the Brooch is the metal part of the medal suspension with the pin upon it for affixing the medal to the uniform. On U.S. Medals, it is found on the reverse top of the ribbon, with the exception of those medals intended to be worn about the neck (WWII-issue and onward Congressional Medals of Honor, Legion of Merit Commander, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom to name a few), or are pin-back (Legion of Merit Chief Commander, for example).

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1904 U.S. Mint Full Wrap Brooch

Open "C" Catch

No. & early M.No.Numbered U.S. Army Certificate of Merit & Campaign Medals

1908 BB&B Split Wrap Brooch

Open "C" Catch

Un-Prefixed Numbered USN USMC Medals

1914 U.S. Mint Full Wrap Brooch

"Lock" Catch

WWI U.S. Army Cross, WWI Army Distinguished Service Medal, M.No. Numbered U.S. Army Medals

1918 BB&B Split Wrap Brooch

Open "C" Catch

USN USMC WWI Distinguished Service Medal

1920's-1940's U.S. Mint Full Wrap Brooch

"Lock" Catch

USN USMC USCG Navy Cross Medal, USN USMC Expeditions Medals, M.No. Numbered USN USMC Campaign Medals, USN USCG Expert Rifle & Pistol Shot Medals

1920's-1930's U.S. Mint Split Wrap Brooch

"Lock" Catch

M.No. Numbered USN USMC Medals USMC Expeditions

1923 Bastian BrotherS Split Wrap Brooch
"Lock" Catch

U.S. Navy Un-Numbered & USMC Numbered Spanish Campaign Medal

1930's Joseph Mayer, Northern Stamping, Full Wrap Brooch
"Lock" Catch

Un-Prefixed Numbered U.S. Army pre WWII Campaign Medals

1920's-1940's Full Wrap Brooch

"Lock" Catch

U.S. Army DSC, Silver Star, WWI Victory, USN/USMC Un-Prefixed Numbered Dominican Campaign, Army Numbered Spanish Campaign, Army Air Medal

1920'S S&G Adams Stamp & Stationary Full Wrap Brooch
"Lock" Catch

U.S. WWI Victory Medal

1932 BB&B Split Wrap Brooch

"Lock" Catch

U.S. Purple Heart Medal Type-I

1932 BB&B Split Wrap Brooch

"Lock" Catch

U.S. Silver Star Medal Type-I

1935 Split Wrap Brooch

"Lock" Catch

U.S. Naval Academy Short Range Battle Practice Medal

1938 BENT Slot BROOCH "Purple Heart"
"Lock" Catch

U.S. Army Purple Heart, Soldiers Medal, USN Reserve Faithful Service

1940'S Numbered Full Wrap Brooch
Small Numbers
"Lock" Catch

U.S. Army Air Corps & Army Air-Force Air Medal

1940'S Numbered Full Wrap Brooch
Large Numbers
"Lock" Catch

U.S. Army Air Corps & Army Air Force Air Medal

1930's-1940's Northern Stamping full Wrap Brooch
Open "C" Catch

U.S. Navy Re-Issued Medals

1944 u.s Mint "Silver" FULL Wrap Brooch

"Lock" Catch

U.S. Merchant Marine Mariner's Medal Type1a

1940's Numbered Gold Tone Full Wrap Brooch Small Numbers
"Lock" Catch

U.S. Army AAF AAC Legion of Merit

1940's Numbered Gold Tone Full Wrap Brooch Large Numbers
"Lock" Catch

U.S. Army AAF AAC Legion of Merit

1940'S "Gold Gilt" Full Wrap Brooch

"Lock" Catch

U.S. Army Legion of Merit, Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal

1942 U.S. Mint "Gold Gilt" Split Wrap Brooch
"Lock" Catch

USN USMC USCG Purple Heart Medals Type 1

1944 U.S. Mint Full Wrap Brooch

"Lock" Catch

USN USMC USCG Purple Heart Medals Type II

1942 U.S. Mint "Gold Gilt" Full Wrap Brooch
Lock Catch

USN USMC USCG Distinguished Service Medal, "Gold" Lifesaving Medal, Legion of Merit Medal

1944 U.S. Mint Slot Brooch

"Lock" Catch

U.S. Merchant Marine's Meritorious Service Medal

1944 BB&B Slot Broch

"Lock" Catch

U.S. Presidential Medal for Merit

1944 ROBBINS CO. SLOT BROOCH

"Lock" Catch

U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Good Conduct Medal

1945 ROBBINS CO. "BLACK" SLOT BROOCH
"Lock" Catch

U.S. Army Distinguished Service Cross

1945 U.S. MINT & REX Products SLOT BROOCH
"Lock" Catch

USN Valor Medals: SS, LOM, DFC, PH, AM, BS, Good Conduct, Type-I Campaign Medals: ADM, ACM, APM, EAME, Army Good Conduct Medal, USN USCG Expert Rifle & Pistol Shot Medals

1946-1949 U.S. Mint & Rex Products Slot Brooch
"Lock" Catch

USN Valor Medals: SS, LOM, DFC, PH, AM, BS, Good Conduct, Army Good Conduct Medal, ADM, USN USCG Expert Rifle & Pistol Shot Medals

1945 Iron's & Russell SLOT Brooch

"Lock" Catch

U.S. Army Silver Star Medal

1945 selective SERVICE slot BROOCH
"Lock" Catch

U.S. Selective Service Medal

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"Lock" Catch

1946 Medallic Art Slot Brooch

"Lock" Catch

U.S. Army, USN, USMC, USCG WWII Victory Medal

1946 American Emblem Co. Slot Brooch
"Lock" Catch

U.S. Women Army Corps Medal

1945-1960's Un-Marked Crimp Brooch

"Lock" Catch

U.S. Army, USN, USMC, USCG WWII Campaign Medals: (ADM, ACM, EAME, APM, China Service, Army, USN, USMC Occupation) Air Force Commendation, Korean War Service, Korean War United Nations, Vietnam War Service,