ANOTHER RMS CARPATHIA GOLD MEDAL

Henry Aldridge Auctions attracted huge headlines last month for selling the gold watch of Titanic victim Isidor Straus for £1.78 million, the highest amount ever paid for memorabilia from the doomed liner.

Another gold memento in the sale attracted few headlines, but was of interest because it came about through the goodwill of the passengers who survived when the ship sank in April 1912.

This was an RMS Carpathia gold medal, one of the rarest medals relating to the Titanic story.

Shown on the medal's front is the Carpathia steaming to the aid of Titanic's lifeboats amid a sea of icebergs. The scene is framed by King Neptune's head and beard and a fouled anchor and hailing trumpet motif at the bottom.

The reverse bears an engraved inscription to an unknown officer.

The original notion of honouring the rescuers was the idea of the better-off survivors.

Soon after their return to dry land in America, a Committee of the Rescued was formed to come up with some suitable token of the gratitude they felt for their safe return from the ocean.

When the Carpathia steamed into New York harbour on April 18, the committee members went to work, deciding on a gold medal for the senior officers, a silver medal for junior officers and a bronze medal for the crew.

When the ship returned on May 29, the awards were ready, with only six of the gold medals presented at a ceremony in central New York.

Estimated at £50,000 to £60,000, this rare medal outstripped its pre-sale guide to eventually take £86,000 at the auction.

To read the complete article, see:
COLLECTORS' CORNER TITANIC SURVIVORS' GRATITUDE WAS SET IN GOLD (https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-courier-advertiser-angus-and-the-mearns-edition/20251213/284313961161286)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
BONHAMS'S TO SELL MEDAL AWARDED TO CARPATHIA CREW FOR TITANIC RESCUE (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n38a22.html)
MORE ON MEDAL AWARDED TO CARPATHIA CREW FOR TITANIC RESCUE (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n39a15.html)
CARPATHIA MEDALS FOR TITANIC RESCUES OFFERED (https://coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n12a16.html)
1912 TIFFANY CARPATHIA MEDAL SOLD (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n47a26.html)

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