Since the American Revolution, Congress has commissioned gold medals as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. Each medal honors a particular individual, institution, or event. Although the first recipients included citizens who participated in the American Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War, Congress broadened the scope of the medal to include actors, authors, entertainers, musicians, pioneers in aeronautics and space, explorers, lifesavers, notables in science and medicine, athletes, humanitarians, public servants, and foreign recipients. The medal was first awarded in 1776 by the Second Continental Congress to then-General George Washington and John Paul Jones during the American Revolutionary War.
A Congressional Gold Medal is created by the United States Mint to specifically commemorate the person and achievement for which the medal is awarded. Each medal is therefore different in appearance, and there is no rule of reaching a standard design for a Congressional Gold Medal. Congressional Gold Medals are also considered "non-portable", meaning that they are not meant to be worn on a uniform or other clothing, but rather displayed much like a trophy.
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