RIM ENGRAVED U.S. NAVY CAMPAIGN MEDAL COLLECTION
United States Navy Campaign Medals were not authorized until 1908, & first began to be issued in 1909. U.S. Navy campaign Medals were issued with a receipt recording the “Badge” number & authorizing the recipient to also engrave on the rim of the badge, the recipients name, rank at the time, & name of the vessel to which they were attached. The only Navy Medals rim engraved by the government were the Dewey & Sampson Medals.
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Navy Civil War Campaign - August 1, 1910

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These receipts continued to be issued with U.S. Navy medals throughout the mid 1930’s when numbering on Campaign Medals ceased. Post 1930’s rim engraved medals are considered extremely rare, as the Navy no longer issued a receipt authorizing the  engraving. 
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Navy World War I Victory - March 28, 1921.
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Navy Yangtze Service - May 15, 1934

​The rim engraving would typically be performed by a jeweler or skilled shipmate. Some sailors even engraved their medals themselves. Rim engraved examples are rare because sailors would have to incur paying for the engraving out of their own pocket, many chose not to. Below you will see a nearly complete set of rim engraved U.S. Navy Campaign medals, spanning from the Civil War through World War II. ​
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1936 "U.S. Mint" Navy Expeditions Medal Issued: Coxswain's Mate Edward Mansch
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1908 "BB&B" Navy Civil War Campaign Medal #1829 Issued: Officer's Steward Edward P. Law
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1899 "Tiffany Co." Dewey Medal "William D. Power" U.S.S. Concord
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1902 "U.S. Mint" Sampson Medal "A. Sydow F." Santiago De Cuba May 18
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1908 "BB&B" Navy West Indies Campaign Medal #617 Issued: Capt. John Alexis Mudd
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1908 "BB&B" Navy Spanish Campaign Medal #4576 Issued: Edw. W. Dunn
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1908 "BB&B" Navy Philippine Campaign Medal #449 Issued: Payclerk Walter D. Bolland
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1908 "BB&B" China Relief Expedition Medal #792 issued: Chief Boatswain's Mate George Doherty
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1908 "BB&B" Navy Cuban Pacification Medal #267 Issued: Officer's Stewart Orlando Cipolla
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1912 "BB&B" Navy Nicaraguan Campaign Medal #1182
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1915 "BB&B" Navy Haitian Campaign Medal #2165 Issued: Chief Yeoman William McCluggage
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1920's "BB&B" Navy Mexico Service Medal #1202 Issued: Chief Gunners Mate Daniel Vandermast
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1920's "Whitehead & Hoag" Dominican Campaign Medal #942 Issued: Chief Yeoman William McCluggage
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1920's "Metal Art Works" Victory Medal Issued: Commander Frederick A. Fenger
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1919-1920 "Whitehead & Hoag" Navy Haitian Campaign Medal issued: Ph. Mate Paul E. Pirrone
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1930 "U.S. Mint" Navy Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal M.No. 1271 "R. L. Martin F.3. U.S.S. Denver '30"
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1930's "U.S. Mint" Navy Yangtze Service Medal M.No. 7978 "M.R. Truesdell Sea 1/c U.S.S. Blackhawk"
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1942 "U.S. Mint" Navy China Service Medal Issued: T.J.P. 1939
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1945 "U.S. Mint" Navy American Defense Medal issued: QMC Ralph J. Leining
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1947 "U.S. Mint" Navy American Campaign Medal issued: QMC Ralph J. Leining
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1947 "U.S. Mint" Navy Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal issued: QMC Ralph J. Leining
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1947 "U.S. Mint" Navy European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal issued: QMC Ralph J. Leining
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1946 "Medallic Art" Navy Victory Medal Issued: QMC Ralph J. Leining
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1947 "U.S. Mint" China Service Medal Issued: QMC Ralph J. Leining
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1947 "U.S.Mint" Navy Occupation Service Medal Issued: QMC Ralph J. Leining