the Pisagua medals. It does not specifically reference any battle or engagement and is not listed in any known publication or catalog. It is, however, almost certainly a medal issued for conspicuous merit in the War of the Pacific by the city council/municipal government of Potosi. This conclusion is based on three sets of facts: first, Bolivia was still actively at war with Chile in the year stamped on the medal, 1880. The second fact concerns the purpose behind the medal; warfare presents many opportunities for governments to reward instances of conspicuous merit by soldiers or civilians that assist their countries in times of peril. Third, the design of the medal includes multiple uses of laurel leaves/branches and oak leaves/branches, both traditioh~il military symbols. This medal is oval, measuring.25mm by 30mm, and was struck on a 2.5ram thick silver-planchet. The obverse Figure 3." Obverse (left) and reverse of the medal issued to the design depicts a radiant sun over th~ mountain of Potosi. Pisagua veterans of the Indepencia Battalion by the Bolivian city of Corocoro. At the base of the mountain is a llama and atree. Below that design are two oak leaves. Around the obverse border HEROICA ACCION DE PISAGUA*NBRE. 2-1879". This is the inscription, EL CONCEJO DEPARTAMENTAL *DE medal is on a 15ram tattered ribbon of the national colors, POTOSI*. The reverse center depicts crgssed branches of although on this example the colors are reversed. laurel and oak, and below is stamped 1880.Around the reverse border is the inscription: PREMIA EL MERITO Like the national medal for Pisagua, the Corocoro medal SOBRESALIENTE. The suspension device is a finely is not listed in Gillingham or any other publication or detailed Andean condor clutching laurel, leaves and oak catalog known to the author. It is believed to be even leaves in its talons. The condor device is also struck in rarer than the national medal, due to the fact that it was silver and measures approximately 20mm by 15mrn. The presumably awarded to only to members of one of the two medal pictured in Figure 4 is the only example the author Bolivian battalions present at Pisagua, roughly 450 men.25 has seen and it therefore must be considered to be rare. Compared to the many different medals and decorations awarded by Chile to its veterans of the War of the Pacific, the Bolivian awards seem very meager. Nonetheless, the Bolivian veterans still received more than did their Peruvian counterparts. It is ironic that, even though the Peruvian forces fought much longer than their Bolivian allies, the national government of Peru did not issue any decoration, or campaign medal, or service medal, to its veterans of the War of the Pacific. It was therefore left to local governments and private organizations to recognize these veterans, who often fought bravely with little equipment and against overwhelming odds. The medal pictured in Figure 5 was doubtless issued by a Peruvian veteran’s organization known as the Meritorious Society of the Victors of Tarapaca. Unfortunately, this organization seems to have disappeared from the pages Figure 4: Obverse (left) and reverse of a medal probably of history, and details regarding the issuance of this medal issued by the Bolivian city of Potosi for merit during the War are unknown. The medal is circular, struck in bronze with of the Pacific. a gold-gilt finish, and is 30mm in diameter. The planchet is 2mm thick. In the obverse center is the Peruvian coat The medal shown in Figure 4 is more of a mystery than of arms, surrounded by the inscription, BENEMERITA Vol. 61, No. 5 (September-October 2010) 35 another inscription: *VENCER 0 MORIR*MADRINA MATILDE C. DE CARBAJAL. The reverse of the medal depicts two cannons crossed over a pile of cannonballs. The initials R.B. again appear to immediate right of the cannons. Over the cannons is the inscription: PADRINO EL PUEBLO DE MIRAFLORES. Around the reverse border is another inscription, *BATERIA ALFONSO UGARTE*DICIEMBRE 23 DE 1880. Figure 5: Obverse (left) and reverse of a medal issued by the Peruvian Meritorious Society of the Victors of Tarapaca. SOCIEDAD VENCEDORES EN TARAPACA.On the reverse center is the year 1879, surrounded by a wreath of laurel. The staffa style suspension resembles that found on many Italian medals of the period. The ribbon (which appears to be original to this specimen) measures 40 mm and consists of three equal vertical stripes of red/white/ red, the national colors of Peru. This medal is not listed in Gillingham or any other publication or catalog known Figure 7: Reverse of the table medal issued by the to the author and is believed to be rare. city of Miraflores on or about December 23, 1880. It is probable that this medal was issued in honor of the "Alfonso Ugarte Battery," which formed part of Peru’s defensive line at Miraflores. As recounted above, Colonel Ugarte had recently died a hero’s death at the battle of Arica on June 7, 1880, and the battery was doubtless named in his honor. It would appear that the battery commander was a Sergeant Major Jose E. Diaz, which suggests that by the end of 1880, the war had cut deeply into the ranks of Peruvian artillery officers. It is believed that Matilde C. de Carbajal was a local patriot who probably contributed funds to the supply the battery and perhaps sponsored the cost of the medal. Unfortunately, there in no mention of this medal in any publication or catalog known to the author, so much of the preceding Figure 6: Obverse of the table medal issued by the is conjecture. city of Miraflores on or about December 23, 1880. Figures 8 and 9 display a Peruvian commemorative medal Figures 6 and 7 show what is most likely a "patriotic" issued in 1905 to honor General Roque Saenz Pena and table medal issued on or about December 23, 1880 at the his service at the battle of Arica on June 7, 1880. Saenz city of Miraflores, as the city prepared to defend against Pena was an Argentine lawyer and politician that fought an imminent Chilean attack. The medal is struck in bronze as an officer in the Peruvian army during the War of and is 23mm in diameter. The obverse design depicts a the Pacific. He was wounded and taken prisoner during masculine arm emerging from a cloud. The hand on the this climactic battle and was only saved from summary arm clutches a Peruvian flag that waves under a radiant execution by the intervention of a Chilean officer. Saenz sun. Underneath the flag are the initials R.B. Around this Pena became a heroic figure to both Peru and Argentina design is the inscription, JEFE DE LA BATERL4 *SGTO. and went on to become the president ofArgentina in 1910. MOR. D. JOSE E. DIEZ*. Around the obverse border is 36 JOMSA As with the Miraflores medal, there in no mention of this medal in any publication or catalog known to the author. Just what organization issued the medal is a mystery, as is its intended distribution. Were all Peruvian veterans of Arica eligible to receive the medal? This seems unlikely, given the fact that there were nearly 2,000 Peruvian soldiers at Arica, and the fact that the medal is very seldom encountered on the collector’s market. Was it offered only to Saenz Pena and certain dignataries, or to the public? The author would very much like to know. The fact that none of the above-described medals is pictured or mentioned in any known reference work underscores the need for a comprehensive study of Figure 8: Obverse of the table medal issued Bolivian and Peruvian medals of the war by more by Peru to honor General Roque Saenz Pena and knowledgeable persons. While much can be deduced his service during the battle ofArica. from careful scrutiny of these medals, especially when combined with a detailed history of the War of the Pacific, This medal was no doubt struck in Lima and issued by an there remains much to be learned. unknown organization, probably for the 25th anniversary of the battle of Arica. It is a heavy 45ram silver-gilt table The high cost of defeat in the War of the Pacific left Peru medal with a 3.5mm thick planchet. The obverse design without its southern-most coastline, and left Bolivia the depicts a female figure representing liberty holding a land-locked nation it remains today. On a more personal crown of laurel leaves in her left hand. She stands in level, the defeat also cost the combat veterans of both front of two shields bearing the coats of arms of Peru countries, with very few exceptions, the opportunity to be and Argentina, respectively. Behind the shield are four recognized by their national governments by the issuance flags. In the exergue appears the name of the designer, J. of a medal worthy of their service. F. RODRIGUEZ W. LIMA and the date, 1905. Around the obverse border is the inscription, HOMENAJEDEARICA Endnotes: AL GRAL. ROQUE SAENZ PENA. The reverse design 1. Bruce W. Farcau The Ten Cents War. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger, 2000, p. 5. depicts Arica’s striking geographical feature, El Morro, 2. Clements R. Markham. The War Between Peru and Chile, 1879- on which the Peruvian garrison made its heroic last stand. 1882. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1882), Above El Morro is the inscription, ADMIRACION/Y p. 81. GRATITUD/ARICA 7 DE JUNIO/1880.