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Identification Bar

Identification Bar.  A suspended or affixed strip of metal with inscription giving supplemental status to a medallic item.  An identification bar can be attached to a ribboned medal or by chains or otherwise attached to a medal. The inscription identifies the person who wears it as a status, membership or class of that medal. It is a means of producing many classes to one organization or group, as rank, class, year, campaign, office, official duty, post, lodge, state, region or other division; of the larger organization.

Examples include a national convention medal where each can have one of 50 state member bars; or a war medal with one of several campaign bars. Such bars always bear inscription even if only a date.  See bar.

excerpted with permission from

An Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Technology

For Artists, Makers, Collectors and Curators

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY D. WAYNE JOHNSON

Roger W. Burdette, Editor


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