1845 James K. Polk Indian Peace Medal. Silver. Second Size. Julian IP-25, Prucha-46. Choice About Uncirculated.

62.5 mm. 1407.2 grains. Pierced for suspension as usual, with what is likely the original silver loop still attached. Gently mottled deep steely gray over most of both sides, giving this piece a particularly uniform appearance. Extremely sharp and retaining much of the original prooflike character in the fields while the high relief devices exhibit just a trace of wear on the high points. Wire rims are still seen on both sides. Mild scattered marks in the fields and a couple of trivial rim bumps are noted. This is certainly one of the two finest examples held privately, with the other Ford XVI specimen being the only other contender. As with the John Tyler medals, the original silver Polk medals are rare in all sizes. It is believed that just 100 examples were struck in this size. Many did not get distributed, however. Mint records show that 83 of them were returned to the Mint in December 1849 to be melted and turned into Zachary Taylor medals for the incoming administration. This would have left a maximum of 17 medals issued. Carl Carlson's research on auction appearances turned up only two for a medium-sized Polk. John Ford had a remarkable three specimens in his collection, including this example, and they all had old provenances to Wayte Raymond, F.C.C. Boyd and Virgil Brand. Michael Hodder gave no indication as to his thoughts on the number known, but called into question the Mint record of just 17 issued based on the Ford holdings. However, it appears to us that a large portion of those extant simply ended up in one place through Ford's consolidation of old collections and that the Mint records are probably just fine. The writer's study of known specimens found nine examples, with another reported in an institutional collection that we have not been able to verify. Of the nine certain pieces, only five are still in private hands. This piece carries with it one of those fine old provenances mentioned above, to W.W.C Wilson and Virgil Brand.

From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from W.W.C. Wilson, Wayte Raymond , November 1925, lot 964; Virgil Brand; Michael Brand Zeddies, February 1960; John J. Ford, Jr.; our (Stack's) sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part XVI, October 2006, lot 141.