Indian Peace Medals
1865 Andrew Johnson Indian Peace Medal. Copper, Bronzed. First Size. Julian IP-40, Prucha-52, Musante GW-770, Baker-173X, var. (unlisted in Bronze). MS-62 BN (NGC).
75.6 mm. 3291.8 grains. Mahogany bronze with lighter chestnut accents on the high points from some moderate handling. No serious marks but some light debris is noted in the recesses of the legend. Pleasing for the grade. With the Johnson medals came yet another change of the reverse design. For an unspecified reason, a redesign of the medals was already being cut into steel at the beginning of Lincoln’s second term. Upon his death, it was decided that the new partially completed Lincoln obverses should be abandoned in favor of new ones featuring Andrew Johnson. The reverse dies were close to completion by this time, so it is clear that the Lincoln administration sought the reverse design change, apparently being dissatisfied with the derogatory reverse design used for the Buchanan and Lincoln medals. After Lincoln’s death, there was further correspondence relating to Peace medals, and it was proposed that the reverses should be returned to the older Peace and Friendship motifs. What seems clear is that at least two entities at the administrative level desired abandonment of the scalping scene reverse, and that they had not been in communication as the second term Lincoln designs were being devised. The reverses used for the Johnson medals were those planned for the second term of Lincoln, and it is assumed that they were simply deemed acceptable. It is also likely that no one thought the additional cost of returning to the Peace and Friendship dies was necessary. In the end, the new motifs sent the same message, with two equally attired figures shaking hands in peace.
Ex Du Mouchelles Auction House, Detroit, Michigan, July 2009, lot 186.
Estimate: $350