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U. S. Battleship Maine - 1898
Research fails to establish definite origin of these issues but evidence points to fact that either or both medals were struck from metal of vessel itself.
Early in 1899 "some eastern people" conceived idea of using some of ship’s armor plate to make variety of souvenirs and they prepared "extensive assortment of dies and patterns." Springfield Iron Co., Springfield, Illinois, re-rolled "several carloads" of plate, reducing thickness to point which permitted metal to be stamped or spun into "scarf, hat and stick pins, ash receivers, ink stands, candle sticks, rings, pen holders, paper weights, medallions, medals and miniature replicas of the ship." These souvenirs proved popular and had countrywide sale.
Battleship Maine, Capt. Charles D. Sigsbee commanding, was sent to Havana, Cuba, January 1898 on goodwill tour. It blew up in Havana Harbor Feb. 15, 1898 with loss of 264 men and 2 officers. A U. S. inquiry blamed an external explosion; Spanish inquiry an internal one. When Spanish American War brake out April 1898, "Remember the Maine" became a rallying cry. Hulk of famous ship was raised finally in 1911.
TYPE I
Obverse: Battleship; below microscopic R. Sneider. New York.; below M·A·I·N·E / 5 stars in row / * Launched * at * the * / Brooklyn Navy Yard, Nov. 18. 1890
Reverse: ** In Commemoration ** / * of the * / Officers / and / Crew / Who Perished in / Havana Harbor / Cuba · / On Board the / U. S. Battleship "Maine." / * Feb. 15th 1898 *
HK-285 - Bronze, thick planchet. Size 24.
TYPE II
Obverse: Battleship; above Remember; below ship The Maine; beaded border.
Reverse: Four busts, separated by scrolls, within center circle; outside, above We Did; outside, below Remember the Maine; beaded border.
HK-286 - Brass, reeded edge. Size 22.
 
Image provided by John Dean
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