The Norse-American medal was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1925,
pursuant to an act of the United States Congress. It was issued for the
100th anniversary of the voyage that brought early Norwegian immigrants
to the United States on the ship Restauration. Minnesota Congressman Ole
Juulson Kvale, a Norse-American, wanted a commemorative for the
centennial celebrations. Rebuffed by the Treasury Department when he
sought the issuance of a special coin, he instead settled for a medal.
Sculpted by Buffalo nickel designer James Earle Fraser, the medals
recognize those immigrants' Viking heritage, depicting a warrior on the
obverse and a vessel on the reverse. They also recall the early Viking
explorations of North America. Once they were authorized by Congress,
they were produced in various metals and sizes, for the most part prior
to the celebrations near Minneapolis in June 1925. Only 53 were issued
in gold, and these are rare and valuable today; those struck in silver
or bronze trade for much less. The medals are sometimes collected as
part of the commemorative coin series.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norse-American_medal>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1644:
English Civil War: The combined armies of Parliament inflicted
a tactical defeat on the Royalists, but failed to gain any strategic
advantage in the Second Battle of Newbury.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Newbury>
1810:
The United States annexed West Florida, the western portion of
the Spanish colony of Florida.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Florida>
1904:
The first underground segment of the New York City Subway (City
Hall station pictured), today one of the most extensive public
transportation systems in the world, opened, connecting New York City
Hall with Harlem.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway>
1944:
World War II: German forces captured Banská Bystrica, the
center of anti-Nazi opposition in Slovakia, bringing the Slovak National
Uprising to an end.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bansk%C3%A1_Bystrica>
1999:
Armed men led by Nairi Hunanyan attacked the National Assembly
of Armenia, killing Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, Speaker of
Parliament Karen Demirchyan, and six others.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_parliament_shooting>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
Wonder Woman:
(by extension of the proper noun) A woman of extraordinary powers; a
superwoman.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wonder_Woman>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
An attitude of moderation is apt to be misunderstood when passions
are greatly excited and when victory is apt to rest with the extremists
on one side or the other; yet I think it is in the long run the only
wise attitude...
--Theodore Roosevelt
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt>