Indian Peace Medals
1809 James Madison Indian Peace Medal. Copper, Bronzed. Second Size. Second Reverse. Julian IP-6, Prucha-40. MS-65 BN (NGC).
62.6 mm. 1757.8 grains. Dark mahogany bronze with light steely overtones and just a trace of mellowing on the highest points of the design. No serious marks of any kind and even the occasional detected hairline is trivial. This medal deserves a bit of an explanation, as a mere photograph makes it look oxidized. This is not the case. While this was struck from a replacement reverse die, sometime after 1846 (the same die used on the Zachary Taylor medals of this size, in silver), the obverse was struck from the original die used to make the silver Madisons. Though it was cleaned up a bit prior to making this restrike, the telltale rim crumbling described in the last lot is plainly evident, and patches of what will appear as oxidation in photographs are actually areas of spalling or die rust in the old steel. The medal is actually rather well preserved overall. A prominent collaring mark is noted on the edge at 6:00, and two other similar marks are also seen but are from flaws in the collar itself.
Ex Stack's Bowers Galleries, August 2014, lot 3010.
Estimate: $300