39.5 x 30.7 mm, excluding ribbon; 25.5 gms, including ribbon. Barac-225; Grove-D201; Perez-Maldonado-pg.139. Eagle perched atop a closed laurel wreath enclosing inscription: "DEFENDIO / LA / INDEPENDENCIA / NACIONAL / OAXACA"; Reverse: "VENCIENDO / AL / ENEMIGO / ESTRANGERO Y AL / TRAIDOR A SU / PATRIA" within closed wreath. The 28 x 50 mm green, white and red silk ribbon is complete, but faded, particularly on the obverse where the green stripe has faded to a tan-gold color. Issued by Decree of 11 January 1868 for actions during the Franco-Mexican War. It was awarded to soldiers participating in the following battles in Oaxaca: The Battles of Juchitan, Miahuatlan, and La Caronera all in September and October of 1866. According to Perez-Maldonado the gold medals were awarded to Generals, Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels, and Commanders who participated in these battles, silver medals were issued to officers and copper medals were given to soldiers. These medals were given to their perspective recipients on May 5, 1868 at a public ceremony; 15 of which where gold. Difficult to find in any composition, the gold examples are <strong>EXTREMELY RARE</strong> and only the second example we can recall seeing or handling with the first example in our March 31, 2011 auction Lot # 8011 where is hammered down at $4,750- and was missing the issued ribbon. There are a few small planchet flaws on the edge that are not visible on the obverse or reverse of the medal, both of which boast a good deal of proof-like reflectivity in the fields.，ALMOST UNCIRCULATED.，
