David Schenkman comment:

A CARD ACCOMPANYING THE MEDAL STATES

"THE ASSOCIATION IS GREATLY INDEBTED TO MR. THOMAS WHEELWRIGHT PRESIDENT, OLD DOMINION IRON AND STEEL WORKS RICHMOND, VIRGINIA FOR HIS GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS OF AUTHENTICATED PORTIONS OF THE IRON PLATING OF THE CONFEDERATE RAM MERRIMAC (LATER NAMED VIRGINIA) WHICH HAS BEEN WROUGHT INTO THIS PAPERWEIGHT. "

OBV: ASSOCIATION OF EDISON / ILLUMINATING COMPANIES / 44TH ANNUAL MEETING / OLD POINT COMFORT / OCTOBER 1-5 1928 (THE ASSOCIATION'S SEAL IS IN AN OVAL TO THE LEFT OF THE INSCRIPTION) / (A SCENE WITH FORT MONROE AND THE IRONCLAD MONITOR IN THE BACKGROUND; INSET IN THE CENTER OF THE PLANCHET IS A PIECE OF IRON IN THE SHAPE OF THE MERRIMAC) / IRON FROM PLATING OF IRONCLAD / MERRIMAC 1862

BRONZE WITH IRON INSERT, RECTANGULAR SHAPE, 65X95MM. SCHENKMAN ME8.

THIS ISN'T THE ONLY SOUVENIR MADE DURING THE 1920S OF MERRIMAC IRON. A 1927 CATALOG OF FRANCIS BANNERMAN & SONS OFFERED A PAPERWEIGHT. I QUOTE FROM THEIR CATALOG:

"MADE FROM IRON PLATES FROM THE CONFEDERATE RAM VIRGINIA (MERRIMAC). RELIC OF THE MOST FAMOUS NAVAL BATTLE OF THE CIVIL WAR - THE FIRST ENCOUNTER BETWEEN IRONCLADS. WE RECENTLY SECURED TWO OF THE END PLATES FROM A PARTY IN VIRGINIA, WHOSE FATHER SERVED ON BOARD DURING THE FIGHT. ONE PLATE WE RESERVE FOR OUR MUSEUM, THE OTHER WE WILL CUT UP INTO 1%-INCH DESK WEIGHTS, STAMP ON EACH OF THE FOUR POLISHED SIDES, NAME OF SHIP AND DATE OF BATLE, THICKNESS OF PLATE 13/4 INCHES, WEIGHT 1 POUND. A RARE SOUVENIR. PRICE, $3.85."

THE ILLUSTRATED PAPERWEIGHT HAS THE FOLLOWING INSCRIPTION ON THE TOP:

MADE FROM ARMOR PLATE / CONFEDERATE RAM MERRIMAC (NO DATE OF BATTLE, AS STATED IN THE AD)