The Celebration Medal

We had to get moving on design, production, and circulation of an appropriate Medal for the occasion. The State of Colorado already had its Medal sets in circulation.

Once more, a volunteer - this time in the form of an active duty Air Force Sergeant - stepped forward. He offered to do the design, get bids for its production and see the project through to completion. He had been involved with another medal project years before. He knew exactly what to do.

In the design we had to have our occasion name "Pikes Peak or Bust by '76' an image on one side and honors to the 1776 Nation's Bicentennial plus Colorado's 1876 Centennial on the other. And we wanted it, as a fund raiser, in gold (plate), Silver, and Bronze. Separately and as numbered sets for both purchase and presentation.

The sergeant came through. Here is a photo of one medal, front and back.

I decided that we could invoke the call to action motto that was coined in 1858 when Gold was first discovered in Colorado Territory - "Pike's Peak or Bust"

So we branded the entire dual State and Country celebration, the "Pike's Peak or Bust by '76" celebration. And put that on our Medal. 

Perfect. The up side struck the exact Centennial Image. The backside not only got the Bicentennial AND Centennial names with flag images and years on it. They were silver dollar sized, and gave one the feeling he had something solid in his hand.  

I think it was the best designed medal in all Colorado.

Its been a very long time and I don't have the records any more, but as I recall we struck at least 3,000, with the Bronze going for $5, the Silver for $15, and the Gold $25. And the numbered, mounted - in a blue case -  set for either $75 or $100.

They raised money for our other activities.

And of course Set 1 went to the City of Colorado Spring, Set 2 to  El Paso County, with others at the state and national level accordingly.