1786 Benjamin Franklin Natus Boston Medal. Betts-620. Silver, 46 mm. AU-55 (PCGS).

684.3 grains. Plain concave edge with a raised collar band left of 6 o'clock relative to the obverse and a clear collar mark at 10:30 relative to the obverse. An original striking of this famous effort of Dupre, likely created for Franklin's 80th birthday. Lustrous medium gray with subtle blue toning and luxurious gold inside the obverse rims. Scattered tiny contact marks are seen on both sides, none is serious on its own. A short scratch is seen above NIS of TYRANNIS on the reverse. Despite the marks and light high point friction, this is a lovely medal, boldly original, nicely lustrous, and entirely appealing. The die state is very early, seemingly identical to or perhaps trivially later than Washington's own specimen at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Though widely available in copper, and also as a 19th century restrike with both plain and privy-marked edges, silver originals of this Betts number are very rare. The Adams and Bentley census located 14 specimens of this medal in silver, including examples at the Massachusetts Historical Society (Washington's own), Yale University, Vienna's Kunsthistoriches Museum, the Royal Coin Cabinet of Sweden, and two in the Stadtisches Museum in Braunschweig. This reflects the great affection in which Franklin was held throughout Europe. Once the Winged Genius reverse broke and was replaced with the reverse seen here, this became the current medal available from Dupre and the Paris Mint at the time of Franklin's death in 1790. This was the medal available to Jefferson when he assembled Washington's set of Comitia Americana medals before leaving Paris in 1789. In restrike form, first from these original dies and later from copy dies, the Paris Mint kept this medal in stock throughout the 19th century. There may be 20 silver specimens in existence, perhaps 10 to 12 in private hands. This is not a large population for such an important medal.

From the Richard Margolis Collection. Earlier from Glenn Firestone, July 1995.

Estimate: $12000