1837 Martin Van Buren Indian Peace Medal. Silver. First Size. Julian IP-17, Prucha-44. Extremely Fine.
75.4 mm. 2284.5 grains. Pierced for suspension at 12 o'clock, as issued. A lovely medal with medium to light silver-gray dominating both sides. Generous accents of soft gold and blue-green are noted on the obverse, particularly in the protected recesses. The reverse is more uniform gray, but nuances of toning can be detected in places. Another clearly issued and worn medal, but like others offered here, this medal has seen only gentle use and exhibits almost no noteworthy marks. Only a short scratch by the pipe bowl deserves mention. Otherwise, the standard myriad tiny surface nicks and a couple of rim marks are the only imperfections. Beautifully detailed, quite handsome and carrying one of the most legendary American provenances, that of the Garrett family. One of 17 specimens known to the writer, five of which are in institutional collections.
From our (Bowers and Ruddy's) sale of the Garrett Collection, Part IV, March 1981, lot 1922; our (Stack's) sale of the Gilbert Steinberg Collection, October 1988, lot 257; Richard Ulbrich; Rex Stark's Fixed Price List of January 2018, #1-G.