1817 Amelia Island Medal / Green Cross of Florida. Rulau E-10A, BHM-957. Bronze, 33.0 mm. MS-63 BN (PCGS).
265.4 grains. A truly exceptional specimen of a medal with a truly incredible story. Rich medium brown surfaces show strong luster and abundant faded mint color around design elements. A little natural flaw is seen over the first I of VIDI, some trivial obverse spots, exceptional overall eye appeal. Most of the survivors of this rare issue were not well preserved, but this one is superb. The Amelia Island medal is the most famous early historical medal relating to the present state of Florida, a decoration awarded by an army that barely existed from a country that was never founded. These medals were issued by Gregor MacGregor, a Scottish-born con man who once invaded Colombia and twice settled a colony in Nicaragua under his own flag. In 1817, he traveled throughout the U.S. to raise money to "capture" Amelia Island, Florida from the Spanish; he also raised a force of 150 men, only 55 of whom were present for the "invasion" of this spit of sand near the Georgia border. A shocked Spanish settlement gave up at the sight of MacGregor on June 29, 1817 (the date on the medal with the pompous legend VENI VIDI VICI), but in December the U.S. Army showed up to politely ask MacGregor to leave. Their orders instructed the troops to "remove from Amelia Island the persons who have lately taken possession thereof....to the great annoyance of the United States." The best study on these medals is Carling Gresham's monograph General Gregor Macgregor and the 1817 Amelia Island Medal, available from the ANA library, which names 13 known specimens including four in museum collections. MacGregor appears to have issued this medal between 1820 and 1823 as a fundraising device for his "colonization" of Nicaragua, whereby a "land purchase" for the as-yet unsettled country got the donor a title of Knight and recognition with the Green Cross of Florida, namely the medal seen here. Rarely offered, a prized piece of Florida exonumia.
PCGS# 921203.
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From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from Presidential Coin and Antique's Auction 78, June 2008, lot 516.

Estimate: $6500