Indian Peace Medals

Exceptional 1841 Second-Size Tyler in Silver

The Garrett Specimen Arguably The Finest Known

1841 John Tyler Indian Peace Medal. Second Size. Julian IP-22, Prucha-45. Silver. Choice About Uncirculated.

62.4 mm. 1546.8 grains. Neatly pierced for suspension, as issued, with what is likely the original suspension loop both intact and unbent. The surfaces are strongly prooflike in the fields and deeply toned throughout. Dark gray is mottled with traces of soft golden brown, lighter silver and pale blue on both sides. There are faint marks in the fields, but none is worthy of specific mention and all blend nicely into the overall aesthetic due to the patina. The detail is crisp throughout, and the squared rims retain a fine wire-like fin that is easily felt, if not sharp. While official records indicate that 100 second-size Tyler medals were produced (along with 60 in the largest size and 100 in the smallest format), it appears that the actual distribution was probably quite small based on known survivors today. According to Father Prucha, more than 40% of the original mintage was returned to the mint and melted for use in striking the medals of the next administration. All Tyler medals in silver are rare, with the largest size medals being the rarest. These are followed closely by this size in terms of total number known, but there is an important and relevant die state distinction for the smallest size, discussed in our offering of one in the following lot. The writer is aware of seven surviving second size examples, with three of those in institutional holdings. This piece is arguably the finest known in a technical sense, though a claim to the status might be made for the F.C.C. Boyd-Ford medal (Ford XVI:137), which is perhaps just a trifle less sharp, but lighter in color and most handsome. Beyond discussion of the medals themselves, it must be stated that for anything numismatic, a Garrett Collection provenance, as offered here, is legendary.

From our (Bowers and Merena's) sale of the Garrett Collection, March 1981, lot 1923; our (Stack's) sale of the Gilbert Steinberg Collection, October 1988, lot 261.

Estimate: $ 25000