1783 Peace of Versailles Medal. Betts-611. Copper, 41.6 mm. MS-64 BN (PCGS).

The first of these we've sold since the John W. Adams sale of November 2015, and an especially pretty one at that. Back in 2009 we described this as "Rich medium brown surfaces show good lustrous reflectivity. A lovely example, struck with bold detail despite an advanced die state which manifests as a series of rim cuds near the base of the obverse. The rims were filed lightly at the time of production. A single contact mark in the lower left reverse field is noted. This is the official Paris Mint medal to mark the signing of the treaty that ended the American Revolution and related conflicts." Despite the Paris Mint's frequent restriking of classic medals, we don't recall ever seeing this Betts number with a post-1842 edge marking, and its rarity suggests a modest initial production run. The design is simple but elegant, though apparently not particularly popular in its day.

PCGS# 925611.

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From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex the George Bauer Collection, via Subak, Inc., February 1962; our (Stack's) sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part XIV, May 2006, lot 282; our (Stack's) Philadelphia Americana sale, September 2009, lot 6091.