Medals of all nations commemorate significant individuals or events in the history of that country. The United States, from its formation, is no different. From the time of its independence from England, the U.S. has authorized and released medals celebrating victories in battles and those who led the battle charges, as well as significant individuals in the civilian realm. Joseph Florimond Loubat’s The Medallic History of the United States of America, 1776-1876 recounts the history behind the medals produced by the U.S. during its first century of history.

For each of 86 medals, Loubat explores the background behind the events and people celebrated. He includes short biographies of each celebrated individual, followed by first-hand accounts related to the medal. These include letters related to the events commemorated, congressional resolutions authorizing the medal, and descriptions of related battles, often written by a commanding officer. Each medal is pictured in an engraved plate, including two in the case of medal number 18, the “Washington Indian Peace Medal.” The engravings were produced by Jules Jacquemart.

Using “The Diplomatic Medal” as an example, Loubat includes the basic information of the date the medal was first authorized (April 30, 1790), a text description of the obverse and reverse designs, and short biographies of those to whom this medal was awarded (César Anne de la Luzerne and Éléonore François Élie, Marquis de Moustier). Loubat follows this with excerpts from several correspondence describing the award of the medals, the design and production process, and the cost of the medals. The cited correspondence includes communications involving: Thomas Jefferson, then United States Secretary of State; William Short, who helped broker the medal’s production; and Augustin Dupré, who engraved this medal. The correspondence gives insights into the formal language used, as well as the problems faced in the production of this medal, including broken dies. Joseph Florimond Loubat (1831-1927) was a historian and philanthropist who studied at Heidelberg University, the University of Paris, and the University of Jena, from the last of which he received his doctorate in law. He was a