TOPIC:

STRIKINGS OF THE QSA MEDAL[/b]

I think most collectors are aware that there were three different strikings of the QSA medal.

Firstly - the medal with raised dates “1899 & 1900”.

Secondly- the striking where the “raised dates” have been removed from the maser or working dies. Typically medals stuck with these altered dies still show a shadow of the dates. These medals were largely awarded to British Regiments. Such medals awarded to South African Colonials are scare but not rare.

Thirdly - the later striking, without dates where the reverse design was slightly altered to accommodate the missing dates.

My query relates to a “fourth” type – this being “raised date” struck medals where the dates have been individually tooled off mechanically by hand before issue.
I know that numerous of these altered medals were awarded to “Lord Strathcona’s Horse”. My question is: How often were these medals issued to Briitsh or Colonial recipients, particularly to those in South African and Rhodesian unit?

Thanks,

RobM

Good Morning Rob.....

I have honestly never seen or heard of any medals where the raised date has been chiselled/ tooled off that is not a Strathcona's Horse...... Even these medals had the dates removed after issue by the person who was awarded the medal..... I have seen very neatly done removals to very poorly done work.....

Mike

How many raised date medals were struck and then had to have their dates removed by hand?

Of those, would the first batch have gone to British recipients? In other words when did medals to colonials get issued in relation to the British? And if after, would there have been any ex-raised date medals left?

I have realised that in hundreds of QSA’s I don’t have a South African type 2 with ghost dates and definitely not your type 4.

Ryan

Hi Ryan......

Dated:
As far as the records that I have 58 to Strathcona's Horse, 4 to British Units, 2 Un-Named (1) with bars to Strathcona's and (1) with no bars, 1 where the name has been ground off and only a disk.....

Dated and the Tool Removed:
According to my records and I only have records for the Strathcona's, 31 Medals, I have one in my collection and have seen I would say about 10 others......

I have never seen or heard of one to a British or other Colonial unit......

Mike

rdarby wrote: I have realised that in hundreds of QSA’s I don’t have a South African type 2 with ghost dates and definitely not your type 4.

Ryan

Anyone correct me if I am wrong......
But if I remember right the medals issued / awarded to the SA Forces were all Type 3 due to the fact that they were issued later after 1903 and by then the Type 2 would have all been used up.....

Mike

When David B last visited Cape Town I promised him that I would post a few interesting items.

Having practiced the mechanics of including photographs in a couple of postings I thought that I would start with some thoughts on the various reverse strikings of the QSA medal.

Type I – the first striking with the raised dates “1899 / 1900” is well known. The attached two photographs are of the medal named to Trooper G.S. Palmer of Lord Strathconas’s Horse. (QSA Die Strike Type Ia & QSA Die Strike Type Ib)

Type II - the striking where the “raised dates” have been officially removed from the Master Dies themselves.

The attached two photographs are of the single medal named to No 1671 Private J. Williamson of Prince Alfred’s Volunteer Guard. (QSA Die Strike Type IIa & QSA Die Strike Type IIb)

As I mentioned in my initial posting Type II medals awarded to South African colonial recipients are scarce. Several authenticicated medals have been offered for sale in local auction catalogues during recent years.

Type III - the well-known later striking, without dates, where the reverse design was slightly altered to accommodate the missing dates.

Lastly, the reason for his short note

Type IV - this being “raised date” medals where the dates have been individually tooled off mechanically by hand before issue.

Here I show two photographs of the medal awarded to Private A. Drever of Lord Strathcona’s Horse. (QSA Die Strike Type SHIVa & QSA Die Strike Type SHIVb)

I note that Mike has suggested that this tooling was done by the recipients themselves. I suspect that this was not, or at least was not always the case, as at least two former members of Lord Strathcona’s Horse who received their medals from King Edward VII himself were unaware that the reverse dates on their medals had been removed.

Mike, I am somewhat surprised that you have recorded so few of these “Dates removed” medals awarded to Lord Strathconas’s Horse. What is the total roll number of QSA medals awarded to he Unit?

I had hoped that there would have been a few more comments following my initial post. In addition to this medal awarded to a recipient of Lord Strathconas’s Horse I have a single medal awarded to Rhodesian recipient which shows definite marks from the reverse dates being removed. Of course one might simply say that this medal is a Type II striking on which some effort has been made to remove the “ghost” dates.

Photographing this medal awarded to this Rhodesian recipient has been somewhat challenging and hence I attach five photographs – these all being taken of the same medal with my cell phone. (QSA Die Strike Type RIVa; QSA Die Strike Type RIVb; QSA Die Strike Type RIVc; QSA Die Strike Type RIVd & QSA Die Strike Type RIVe)

This medal is part of an interesting long service group and I will post further details in another post shortly! The apparent circumstances leading to the issue of this particular QSA medal to this recipient add to the story.

To be continued.