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The tradition of displaying fireworks on Independence Day, July 4th, in the United States, is a long-standing one, dating back to the very first organized celebrations of the holiday in 1777. Founding Father John Adams foresaw such commemorations from the very beginning, writing to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776 “I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”


All this made us wonder if there is an American medal depicting fireworks. Newman Portal does not reveal such an example, through ironically our neighbors to the north placed a fireworks privy mark on the 1999-2000 Canadian Maple Leaf gold coins. The pieces were given a double date, with the privy mark denoting the new millennium. 

The only other relevant mention we found was a 1712 Charles VI medal, from Nurnberg, whch depicts a fireworks display in honor of Charles VI on January 16, 1712. This example is ex. Newman III (Heritage Auctions, January 2014), lot 30555, where it realized $4,700.

Link to “fireworks” search results on Newman Portal: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/searchwithterms?searchterm=fireworks