1814 George III Indian Peace Medal. Silver. First Size. Adams-12.1. Unc Details--Holed (NGC).
75.5 mm. 1871.1 grains. Missing the original suspension hanger, leaving behind the piercing at 12 o'clock that is on all issued medals, so the "holed" designation from NGC really does not make sense as a grading qualifier on this, or any medal like it. This is exactly how they were issued (with a hanger), and this is a particularly attractive example. Lovely medium gray silver with soft blue-green, rose and gold toning on both sides that adds considerably to the visual appeal. Clearly an issued medal, but one that saw very little actual wear. Close examination shows only the usual fine marks and abrasions along with a few subtle reverse hairlines, but this is much finer looking than the example in our November 2020 sale of the Larry Ness Collection, which, with a crude bent wire instead of an original hanger, realized $12,000. Identified by Michael Hodder as specimen #33 in the John Adams Census of specimens. This was the largest of the 1814-dated medals produced for award to Native Americans in the later days of the War of 1812. The British relied heavily upon Native Americans in their war effort. Distribution of medals as markers of allegiance was rampant, so much so (as related by Adams), a Captain Bulger, Commander at Green Bay, wrote in 1815 that "…formerly a chief would have parted with his life rather than his medal. Now very few think it worth preserving." It might be that, as suggested, this statement had to do with the large numbers of medals distributed, but it might also relate to the failures of the British during the War. Either way, based on Adams' research of survivors, he suggested that the original issuance of the 1814 medals might have been but half the number of those issued of the young head type during the period from 1776 to 1813.
Ex A.H. Baldwin & Sons, Ltd., October 1973; John J. Ford, Jr.; our (Stack's) sale of the John J. Ford Collection, Part XVI, October 2006, lot 85. Lot tag included.

Estimate: $8000