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SA Union & RSA: Comrades Marathon Award

SA Union & RSA: Comrades Marathon AwardSA Union & RSA: Comrades Marathon Award
SA Union & RSA: Comrades Marathon AwardSA Union & RSA: Comrades Marathon Award
SA Union & RSA: Comrades Marathon AwardSA Union & RSA: Comrades Marathon Award
SA Union & RSA: Comrades Marathon AwardSA Union & RSA: Comrades Marathon Award
Form: Circular with attached loop.
By: E.G. Kerby and Co, Jewellers of Pietermaritzburg (obverse) / Turner & Simpson of Birmingham and later South African Mint.
Date: Annually since 1921
Ref:  Laidlaw: 0067a;
Variations:
SizeMetalMassValue
29.2 mm9ct Gold12.9 gm$250
29.3 mmSilver (earlier)13.2 gm$65
29.2 mmSilver (later made by S.A.M)15.2 gm$55
28.8 mmBronze13.4 gm$12

Edge: Plain.

Obverse: Figure of Mercury/Hermes with winged helmet and feet carrying a caduceus and running to the left. On a band, legend above: “COMRADES MARATHON” and below between stars: “DURBAN – MARITZBURG”. On the earlier medals, below above the legend: "E.G. KERBY & CO. JEWELLERS".

Reverse: A laurel wreath tied at the foot within which the name of the person to whom the medal had been awarded, his position at the finish, the running time and the date of the race could be engraved.

The obverse of this gold medal in incused letters around and below Hermes: "FOUNDER'S YEAR". The reverse engraved: "4TH. / G.N. RAUBENHEIMER. / 6H.42M.30S. / 31:5:60." Stamped: "(springbok head) 9CT M (date letter for 1960) S.A.M".

This earlier silver medal, engraved: "25th / G.J.D. Everton / 9h.27m.55s. / 24.5.35". Stamped with maker's mark: "T&S" and the Birmingham hallmarks for 1933-4 (date letter J).

This later silver medal, engraved: "58TH. / J.M. PERSHOUSE / 10H.45M.12S. / 31:5:57"". Stamped with the sterling silver hallmarks of the SA Mint: "(lion head) STG h(date letter for 1955) S.A.M".

Notes: This gold medal comes in a fitted, blue, square case from the South African Mint, lined on the inside with white silk marked: "SAM" and blue velvet.

G.N.(Nick) Raubenheimer competed in 22 runs between 1953 and 1975. He won 6 gold medals (1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1964). His last win was as a veteran runner (over 40) and he came first in that class.

Instituted in 1921, the Comrades Marathon is the world’s largest and oldest ultra marathon road race attracting over 20,000 runners. It is run annually between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, a distance of about 90 km. The direction of the race alternates each year. Under the present rules, the gold medal is awarded to the first 10 men and the first 10 women; the silver medal to those who finish in under 7hrs 30min; the bronze medal to those who finish in less than 11 hours. In recent years new medals have been introduced and the metal quality downgraded.