Indian Peace Medals
“1801” (circa 1860s?) Thomas Jefferson Indian Peace Medal. Bronze. Third Size. Original Dies. Julian IP-4, Prucha-39. MS-64 BN (NGC).
52.1 mm. 1041.7 grains. A stunningly attractive example of this rare bronze impression of the smallest-size Jefferson. The fields are deeply prooflike, the devices boldly executed with a fine satin finish. Generous original mint red remains through the letters of the obverse legend and among the intricacies of the central motif, while the remaining obverse surface is light copper brown with nuances of pastel iridescence in the fields. The reverse is deeper olive brown overall, but the more intensely reflective fields of this side are accented by rich violet, blue, pale green and gold toning giving this piece superior eye appeal. The dies were clearly polished up a bit prior to striking this piece, but these were certainly the original steel dies that were used to make the silver examples awarded to Native Americans in the first decade of the 19th century. Crumbling between the knuckles of the index and second finger on the reverse of this medal is clearly seen in a less advanced state on the original silver example we sold in our August 2013 sale (lot 1035). Similarly, there are other fine die markers visible on the obverse that match the silver example. One is a tiny spike on the inside of the rim beneath the center of Jefferson’s truncation. It is small, but unmistakable when comparing the medals side by side, as we have. Much easier seen is a small lump on the top of Jefferson’s head, pointed to almost perfectly by the I in PRESIDENT. The die state is clearly later on this bronze impression, however. A crack has formed through Jefferson’s hair, extending into the field toward the H of THE, and is seen on the other bronzes we have handled. It is believed that most of the later bronze collector strikes were made of the 76 mm version, with the largest and smallest being far rarer. Indeed, our archives going back over a decade include only three examples of this medal. There was also a single example in our May 2007 Ford sale. We would venture to guess that this medal is the prettiest of all we have handled. We have dated this piece to the 1860s because a survey of the Mint records included in Julian indicate that there seems to have been more demand for Jefferson medals at this time than in other decades for which records are provided. However, references therein to “Jefferson Medals” having been struck in any given year do not clearly indicate the issue struck (i.e. Peace Medal or Inaugural Medal), so uncertainty seems unavoidable.
Ex Early American History Auctions, April 2002, lot 1034; Stack’s, February 2008, lot 3573; Aesculapius Collection of Indian Peace Medals, Stack’s, January 2011, lot 6206.
Estimate: $2500