Undated State Department Life Saving Medal. By Francis X. Koehler. Julian LS-2. Bronze. AU-58 BN (NGC).66 mm. Unawarded. Attractive deep mahogany-brown patina on satiny, lightly reflective surfaces. Sharply struck with minimal signs of rub, although the expansive reverse field shows several spots and a few wispy handling marks. Julian reports that only 10 gold and 16 silver medals were officially struck from these dies; the bronzes, as here, were struck unofficially. The author provides an amusing commentary on the design in his 1977 reference <em>Medals of the United States Mint: The First Century, 1792-1892</em>, p. 321, to which we refer bidders.
