Rare 1903 US Army 56 Co Coast Artillery 1st Class Gunners Badge No 59 For Sale

A scarce 1903-pattern U.S. Army Coast Artillery 1st Class Gunner\'s Badge, associated with the 56th Company, Coast Artillery.

The reverse of the upper bar is engraved:

“56 CO COAST ART.”“NO 59”

The badge features the distinctive crossed artillery cannon barrels suspended from the rectangular upper bar.

The 56th Company, Coast Artillery was formed in 1901, following the reorganisation of the U.S. Army\'s artillery companies. It was subsequently redesignated 56th Company, Coast Artillery Corps in 1907.

The company served at various important American coastal defence installations, including El Morro, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Fort Wadsworth, New York, and later Fort Hancock, New Jersey.

In July 1916, the company was redesignated the 6th Company, Fort Hancock, and in 1917 became the 6th Company, Coast Defences of Sandy Hook.

The badge is therefore associated with the pre-1916 56th Company designation.

The badge is the 1903 pattern, produced during the early Coast Artillery period. Examples of this type are known with individual numbers applied to the upper bar. The “No. 59” is considered an individual equipment number, rather than an Army service number.

EXCELLENT CONDITION.

The badge is complete and retains excellent detail to the crossed artillery pieces and upper bar. There is attractive age-related patina consistent with an early 20th-century military badge.

Please study the photographs carefully, as they form part of the description.

Maker: Believed to be Rock Island Arsenal, as associated with the production of the 1903-pattern U.S. Army Coast Artillery Gunner\'s Badge. No separate maker\'s mark is visible on this example.

Overall height: approximately 50 mmOverall width: approximately 40 mm

An excellent opportunity to acquire an early U.S. Army Coast Artillery qualification badge with the particularly interesting 56th Company designation and individual No. 59 engraving.

A very desirable item for collectors of U.S. Army, Coast Artillery, artillery, military insignia and early 20th-century American military history.

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