Commemorative Medals
Commemorative medals honor outstanding people, events, and sites of special meaning to the American people. Many of these medals are replicas of Congressional gold medals. Bronze (mixed copper and zinc) replica commemorative medals are available for sale to the public through the United States Mint's online catalog. Some recent awardees include:
- Professor Muhammad Yunus
- Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
- Arnold Palmer
- Constantino Brumidi
- The Montford Point Marines
- The New Frontier
- The Nisei Soldiers of World War II
- The Women Airforce Service Pilots
- Sen. Edward William Brooke III
- Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, M.D.
- Dalai Lama
- Dr. Norman Borlaug
- Byron Nelson
- Tuskegee Airmen
- 2003 National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Medal Series
- Dr. Dorothy Height
- Brown v. the Board of Education
Military
The forerunners of modern combat decorations were gold and silver medals. The Continental Congress awarded these to commanders of the Revolutionary War. The first such medal, struck in gold, was awarded to Captain John Paul Jones. Other medals have commemorated:
- The War with Mexico
- The Civil War
- Battles at sea
- Vietnam veterans
- The Persian Gulf National Medal
- Those missing in action
- The 200th anniversaries of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard
Aviation
Charles A. Lindbergh was awarded a Congressional gold medal in 1928 for his historic flight from New York to Paris. Those honored in subsequent years include:
- Robert H. Goddard (for research on rockets and jet propulsion)
- General Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager (first to fly faster than the speed of sound)
- Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker (aviation leadership and service)
- Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson, and Larry Newman (first successful trans-Atlantic balloon)
Government
Medals have been produced for such leaders and statesmen as:
- Sam Rayburn
- Robert F. Kennedy
- Hubert H. Humphrey
- Simon Wiesenthal
- Elie Wiesel
- Roy Wilkins
- Lady Bird Johnson
- Anatoly and Avital Shcharansky
- Laurance Spelman Rockefeller
- Billy and Ruth Graham
- Rabbi Menachem Schneerson
Arts and Culture
Those honored with Congressional gold medals for contributions to art, music, poetry, sports, literature, and the movies include:
- Robert Frost
- Marian Anderson
- John Wayne
- Joe Louis
- George and Ira Gershwin
- Aaron Copland
- Andrew Wyeth
- Jesse Owens
Historic Events
Medals have honored events, historic dates, and outstanding organizations such as:
- The George Washington/Mount Vernon Bicentennial
- The U.S. Diplomatic Presentation
- The U.S. Secret Service Centennial
- The American Red Cross Centennial
- The Yosemite National Park Centennial
