Qajar Persian Lion and Sun Medal Presented to Dr. Thomas W. Evans

Lion and Sun Medal
Period: Qajar dynasty, Persia
Date: 19th century
Kept in Leon Levy Dental Medicine Library, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Source: myself :)

مدال درجه سه شیر و خورشید اهدا شده به دکتر ایوانس دندان پزشک آمریکایی توسط شاه قاجار. کتابخانه دندانپزشکی‌ دانشگاه پنسیلونیا، آمریکا

I came across a Lion and Sun medal (#1) studying in Leon Levy Dental Medicine Library at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA. Here are few images that I took myself. Dr. Thomas Wiltberger Evans (December 23, 1823 – November 14, 1897) was a dentist who performed dental procedures on many heads of state. He died in Paris, where he had lived for many years, and was buried in Woodlands Cemetery, Philadelphia. In his will, he left money and land for the founding of what was to become the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. These medals and decorations, including the Lion and Sun medal, were presented to Dr. Evans for his service. This Qajar service award is a 3rd class Lion and Sun medal according to the note in the library. The note also mentioned that this decoration was founded in 1808 by Fath Ali Shah of Persia. It was awarded to Dr. Evans in June 1868 by the Shah of Persia, which is most likely awarded by Naser al-Din Shah Qajar. Even though there is no record of Dr. Evans traveling to Persia, it is unlikely that he met the Shah during one of  his royal visits to Europe since the date the medal was given does not match the dates that Persian monarch visited Europe. Naser al-Din was the first modern Iranian monarch to visit Europe in 1873 and then again in 1878, and finally in 1889. The museum also includes some some Ottoman medals and decorations.

Imperial Order of the Lion and the Sun, Civil Division, IV Class

 Lion and Sun Medal
Period: Qajar dynasty, Persia
Date: possibly 19th century
Size: diameter 69 mm
Source: [1]

Like any other Lion and Sun medallion this bears a polychrome recumbent lion and a radiant sun with a female face. The Order was founded in 1808 by Fath ‘Ali Shah of the Qajar Dynasty as the Royal Order of the Sun. In 1820 it was re-organized and renamed. To learn more about Persian decorations look at this topic on Iranica: [2]

Silver Medal, Order of Lion and Sun

Medal
Era: Qajar Dynasty
Date: 1920
Size: 65 mm in diameter
Sold on ebay
Source: [1]

this medal is made of solid silver and measures about 65 mm in diameter. A seated lion & the Sun at center have been beautifully hand painted with color enamels. The name of owner and date  have been been engraved on the reverse side.

According to Wikipedia, the Imperial Order of the Lion and the Sun was instituted by Fat’h Ali Shah of the Qajar Dynasty in 1808 to honor foreign officials (later extended to Persians) who had rendered distinguished services to Persia. In 1925, under the Pahlavi dynasty the order continued as the Order of Homayoun with new insignia, though based on the Lion and Sun motif. This motif was used for centuries by the rulers of Persia, being formally adopted under Mohammad Shah. The order was senior to the Order of the Crown. It was issued in five grades.

Nasir al-Din Shah Coin or Medallion

Coin or Medallion.
Era: Qajar Dynasty, Persia.
Date: 19th Century.
Owner: sold on an online auction
Source: [1]

The Qajar Order of Aftab

The Order of Aftab
Qajar Period, Persia
Sources:  [1], [2], [3]

Nasser-ed-Din Shah of Qajar, the King of Persia, introduced the Aaftab (Sun) order for royal women. This order was introduced in 1873 specifically for presentation to queens and princesses, including the Empress Augusta of Germany and Queen Victoria, during the shah's European tour in the same year. The shah's wife Anis-ed-Dowleh received it on her birthday in 1888. In 1896, Mozaffar-ed-Din Shah awarded it to the wife of the Ottoman ambassador Shams-al-Din Beg. Usually, the decorations on this order were made of silver. This order came in two classes.

نشان آفتاب، نشان‌ مخصوص بانوان است که توسط ناصرالدین شاه قاجار ایجاد شد

The First Class Insignia
The insignia of the first class consists of a breast star, sash, and sash badge. The badge itself is a round disk, bearing a face image of a female sun (aftab), fully decorated in natural colors and surrounded by a narrow raised band of platinum. The platinum band garlanded by a wide circlet completely encrusted in eighteen diamonds, edged by a further narrow raised band in platinum. Around the top half of the platinum band, a sunburst arranged in a fan-like design of seventeen separate rays, eight with tips shaped like Gothic arches and nine swallows tails, all completely encrusted in diamonds. Attached to the uppermost ray of the sunburst, a tie-ring encrusted in brilliants. - Wikipedia

The Second Class Insignia
According to Wikipedia, The insignia of the first class consists of a breast star, sash, and sash badge. The badge is a round disk in platinum, bearing a full-face image of a female sun (aftab), fully enameled in natural colours and surrounded by a narrow raised band of platinum. The platinum band garlanded by a wide circlet completely encrusted in eighteen diamonds, edged by a further narrow raised band in platinum. Around the top half of the platinum band, a sunburst arranged in a fan-like design of seventeen separate rays, eight with tips shaped like Gothic arches and nine swallows tails, all completely encrusted in diamonds. Attached to the uppermost ray of the sunburst, a tie-ring encrusted in brilliants.

For more information study this: [3] - in Persian  
More about Qajar medals: [4]