Indian Peace Medals
1865 Andrew Johnson Indian Peace Medal. Silver. Second Size. Julian IP-41, Prucha-52, Musante GW-771, Baker-173V. Fine.
62.8 mm. 1457.6 grains. Pierced for suspension after the loss of the original hanger mount. Bent, and hairlined from cleaning that has left much of the surface pale gray. Just a trace of deeper patina remains close to the rims and in some of the more protected areas of the design. Numerous tiny marks are seen under magnification, as typical for an awarded and hard-worn Peace medal. As we noted when we last offered this piece in 2013, these markers of use are little more or less than clear evidence of what is likely a fascinating history. Unfortunately the precise details are probably forever lost, but this is a very tangible artifact of a story that is undoubtedly, if nothing else, uniquely American. The extensive John Ford collection included seven silver Andrew Johnson medals, but just two were of this second size. In the cataloging of the first one, Michael Hodder expressed that he knew of just five examples, and Carl Carlson had earlier found seven auction records for silver examples of this size. This one is a relative newcomer to those known, as we are unaware of any sales history of it prior to our offering in 2013. In all, the writer has accounted for 18 specimens, about the same as for the Johnson medals of the first size. However, more of this size are in institutional collections, eight in total. According to Prucha, the total number produced of each size was 90 medals, so our ratio of survivors to those believed struck is virtually identical for the two Johnson medals.
Ex Stack’s Bowers Galleries, August 2013, lot 1085.
Estimate: $7000