Bronze Medallion (New Zealand and Australia) - The Bronze Medallion

The Bronze Medallion

The Bronze Medallion has been issued in New Zealand in a number of styles. The following types have been issued. The numbering is arbitrary and other types may exist.

Type 1. Circa 1910.

Obverse: Two swimmers in the water, one rescuing the other. The head and upper body of the person being rescued is visible but the figures of the people are not very clearly defined. In the background is an indistinct shore. Around the edge in a sans-serif font are the words “THE ROYAL LIFE SAVING SOCIETY ESTABLISHED 1891”

Reverse: Around the edge in the same sans-serif font are the words “QUEMCUNQUE MISERUM VEDERIS HOMINEM SCIAS” which may be translated as ‘Whomsoever you see in distress, recognize him as a fellow man.’ In the centre in two lines in a roman font are the words “AWARDED TO” followed by a space in which the recipient’s name and the date of awarding were added. The medallion is 32.5mm in diameter and nearly 3mm thick. It has a loop at the top for a ribbon suspension.

Type 2. Circa 1920.

Obverse: Two swimmers in the water – one rescuing the other, one with his/her hands on the side of the head of the second person. Only the heads can be seen. In the background are some hills, trees, and clouds. Otherwise details as Type 1. The medallion is 30mm in diameter and about 2.5mm thick. It has a loop at the top for a ribbon suspension.

Type 3. Circa 1930.

Obverse: Two swimmers in the water – one rescuing the other, one with his/her hands on the side of the head of the second person. The whole bodies of both swimmers are clearly seen. The background shore is indistinct. Otherwise details as Type 1 but the wording is in a roman font. Edge of this side has a milled pattern. Reverse. As Type 1 and the edge has a milled pattern. Size is 30mm diameter and 2.5mm thick. With loop for ribbon suspension.

Type 3A. Circa 1937.

As Type 3 but 32.5mm diameter and 3mm thick. Oddly, the “LI” of “ESTABLISHED” is in a slightly larger sized font.

Type 3B. Circa 1928.

As Type 3 but with the words “FOR LIFE SAVING SKILL WITH SURF LIFE LINE” on the reverse in a sans-serif font.

Type 4 Circa 1940-47.

Obverse: Instead of swimmers the central part consists of a crossed boat hook and oar forming quadrants. In the centre is a clover form made from rope, Around this item are the words “ROYAL LIFE SAVING SOCIETY” in a sans-serif font. The word “LIFE” is uppermost. Around the edge in the same sans-serif font are the words “QUEMCUNQUE MISERUM VEDERIS HOMINEM SCIAS” as in Type 1 reverse.

Reverse: Around the edge in a roman font are the words “ROYAL LIFE SAVING SOCIETY” and in a smaller size “ESTABLISHED 1891” In the centre in two lines in a roman font are the words “AWARDED TO” followed by a space in which the recipient’s name and the date of awarding were added. Size 32mm diameter and about 3mm thick. With loop for ribbon suspension. For a photograph of the medallion see Royal Life Saving Society UK.

Type 4A Circa 1954.

Very similar to Type 4 but the centre clover shape is flat rather than rounded. Slightly smaller at just under 32mm in diameter.

Type 5 Circa 1960.

Almost the same as Type 4 but the reverse has “ROYAL LIFE SAVING SOCIETY” in a sans-serif font. In a smaller size in a roman font is “ESTABLISHED 1891” The numbers are in ranging style. i.e. the tail of the ‘9’ drops below the baseline of the other numbers. Size otherwise the same but slightly under 2mm thick.

Type 6 Circa 1970 - present.

A small version of the obverse of Types 4 & 5 but it is uniface only, that is the reverse is plain although sometimes the recipient's name is added there. It is 25mm in diameter.