The Triennial meeting of 1932 was of special significance since it occurred in the year in which the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of General Washington was being celebrated throughout the Nation. The meeting was held in Philadelphia at the invitation of the State Society of the Cincinnati of Pennsylvania. It was the first triennial held in this city since 1896, but the General Society felt very much at home, for all of the early Triennials were held in Philadelphia, as well as some of the more recent ones. By 1932, in all, the General Society had met no less than twenty-four different years in that city.

Medal Commemorating the Triennial Meeting of
the General Society of the Cincinnati, at Philadelphia, 1932
and the Bicentennial of the Birth of George Washington.
(Obverse). Bronze. Hume #17.

Medal Commemorating the Triennial Meeting of
the General Society of the Cincinnati, at Philadelphia, 1932
and the Bicentennial of the Birth of George Washington.
(Obverse). Bronze. Hume #17.

Baker: Y-345. Hansen: 70.  50x68mm.  Bronze. Struck by Bailey, Banks and Biddle Company, Philadelphia.

The medal struck by the Pennsylvania Society to commemorate the occasion (Hume #17), commemorates the bicentennial of Washington's birth. It is rectangular in form, the upper margin being slightly convex. It measures 2-11/16 inches at its greatest height, by 2 inches in width, being 1/8 inch in thickness. The medal was designed and executed by the Department of Insignia of the Bailey, Banks and Biddle Company, of Philadelphia.

The obverse bears a central disc 1-3/8 inches in diameter with the bust of Washington in civilian dress, facing slightly left, with the dates 1732-1932 on the lower part of the bust. At the upper right and left margins are discs 1/2 inch in diameter bearing respectively the arms of the United States and of the French Republic. Below there is a ribbon with the legend: Omnia Relinquit Servare Rempublicam. Partly resting on this ribbon is a shield 5/8 inch in height by 1/2 inch in width charged with the arms of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A wreath of laurel leaves surrounds the central disc. The reverse depicts Independence Hall at Philadelphia, measuring approximately 1-1/2 inches in height by 2 inches in width. Below this is the following inscription: Commemorating the Triennial Meeting of the General Society of the Cincinnati Philadelphia, Pa May 5 1932 and the Bicentennial of the Birth of George Washington First President General. Below this there is the Eagle of the Cincinnati resting on branches of laurel leaves and on a flowing scroll with the words: Societas Cincinnati Institute A. D. 1783.

The medal is beautiful but open to two criticisms. First, in the use of the Arms of the French Republic instead of those of the Kingdom of France. Indeed, the discs here used are exactly the same as those used in the New Jersey medal above described. Secondly, the name of the Society in Latin is: Societas Cincinnatorum instead of Societas Cincinnati. While in France it was known as l'Ordre de Cincinnatus, the plural is of course correct, and the revived French Society calls itself La Société des Cincinnati de France. A copy of the medal was presented to each member of the General Society and of the Pennsylvania Society present at the Philadelphia meeting.