France, Vichy Government. A Marshal Philippe Pétain Medal, c.1941

Frosted silver, cornucopia hallmarked, marked ""ARGENT"" (silver) and marked ""OA354"" on the edge, obverse illustrating the left-facing bust of Marshal Philippe Pétain and wearing the Military Medal on his left breast, engraver marked ""PIERRE TURIN"" (French medalist) to the left and dated ""MCMXLI"" (1941) to the right, surrounded by the inscription ""PHILIPPE PETAIN MARECHAL DE FRANCE CHEF DE L'ETAT"" (Marshal Philippe Pétain, Chief of the French State), reverse illustrating the Frankish axe with ""PETAIN"" at the base of its handle, symbolic of Vichy France, a man standing to the left of the axe and holding a scythe in his right hand, with sheaves of wheat and flowers in the background, a seated woman to the right of the axe, holding a baby boy in her arms, with a girl standing in front of the woman and facing her, a basket at the feet of the girl, inscribed ""TRAVAIL / FAMILLE / PATRIE"" (Work / Family / Country) below, 76.8 mm, scattered silvering wear, near extremely fine.

Footnote: Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain (April 24, 1856 - July 23, 1951), generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain was a French general officer who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and later served as the Chief of State of Vichy France also known as the French State from 1940 to 1944. Pétain, who was 84 years old in 1940, ranks as France's oldest head of state. Today, he is considered by many the French equivalent to his contemporary Vidkun Quisling in Norway. He was sometimes nicknamed The Lion of Verdun. During the Second World War, with the imminent fall of France in June 1940, Pétain was appointed Prime Minister of France by President Lebrun at Bordeaux, and the Cabinet resolved to make peace with Germany. The entire government subsequently moved briefly to Clermont-Ferrand, then to the spa town of Vichy in central France. His government voted to transform the discredited French Third Republic into the French State, an authoritarian regime. After the war, Pétain was tried and convicted for treason. He was originally sentenced to death, but because of his outstanding military leadership in the First World War, particularly during the Battle of Verdun, Pétain was viewed as a national hero in France and was not executed. His sentence was commuted to life in prison and he died in 1951.

This offering is a part of the "Dr. Albert Goodwin Collection", a preeminent assemblage of world Orders, Medals, and Decorations composed solely by Dr.Goodwin between 1946-1967. Dr. Goodwin had a successful career as an educator and prominent physician in New York as well as actively serving in both World Wars with the United States Medical Corps. He acted as both President and Vice-President of the Orders and Medals Society of America (OMSA) and is responsible for organizing their first convention in 1960. He maintained further membership with the American Society of Military Collectors, the International Orders Research Society, and the American Numismatic Society. His knowledge and passion for history and awards is evident in this meticulously compiled collection that is now available in its entirety for the first time exclusively on eMedals.com.