Two Items

[sirlostalot]

The bigger item has " Dedication" "Grant Monument" "Apr" "1897" and "New York".
The coin looking is slightly smaller than a penney and has on one side a flag with the words "Cuba Must Be Saved". The other side has what looks like a ship and the words "The Maine"
Thanks for any information.

 

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[IronSpike]

The badge looks like a GAR badge. Haven't found a match yet, but look at the similarities this GAR piece:

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...7&ndsp=21&hl=en&rlz=1G1ACGW_ENUS342&sa=N&um=1

Photo courtesty of World Exonumia. www.exonumia.com

 

[PBK]

Nice comparison pic on the badge drop, Iron Spike. I'm not sure whether it's from a GAR badge, although that would be my guess as well. (I found online references to such a badge, but no photos.) Then again, it could be simply a souvenir badge from the Grant Monument dedication.

The other item appears to be one of the many c. 1898 commemorative medalets depicting the ill-fated USS Maine which exploded in Havana Harbor, an event which triggered the Spanish-American War: "Remember the Maine !" etc. The quote "Cuba must be saved" is from an 1869 speech by Senator Charles Sumner, in reference to the first Cuban War for Independence, which was going on at that time. His words were later revived as a battle cry of the Spanish-American War.

 

[Sandpit]

Ya, GAR.