1837 PATTERN ORIGINAL U.S. MINT COPPER-BRONZED MARTIN VAN BUREN INDIAN PEACE & FRIENDSHIP MEDAL - LARGEST SIZE
POST 1846 NINETEENTH CENTURY STRIKE - SECOND REVERSE DIES OF 1846 PATTERN WITH "FLAT" TOPPED A'S IN LEGENDS
PHOTO CERTIFIED GENUINE BY NGC - MEDAL MINT STATE 62
RICH DARK CHESTNUT BROWN COLOR
OBV: DETAILED HIGH COLLARED TALL BUST OF PRESIDENT MARTIN VAN BUREN
REV: CLASPED HANDS, UNIFORMED LEFT, BARE RIGHT; CROSSED TOMAHAWK AND PEACE PIPE ABOVE; LEGEND "PEACE AND FRIENDHIP"
INDIAN PEACE MEDALS WERE GIVEN BY U.S. GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES TO NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBAL LEADERS AS A SIGN OF FRIENDSHIP, GOOD FAITH AND GOOD RELATIONS ESTABLISHED BY TREATY OR THE EXPLANATION OF UNITED STATES SOVEREIGNITY.
THE MEDALS CAME IN THREE SIZES, MADE OF SILVER, AND WERE PRESENTED TO TRIBAL LEADERS. THEY BECAME SYMBOLS OF POWER AMONGÂ MANY TRIBES. LEWIS & CLARK CARRIED SUCH PEACE MEDALS ON THEIR JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY. THE MEDALSÂ BECAME SO POPULAR THAT PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT DEALT WITH INDIAN TRIBES HAD THEIR OWN MEDALS STRUCK.
THE OFFICIAL U.S. MEDALS BEARING THE PORTRAIT OF THE CURRENT PRESIDENT CONTINUED TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO TRIBAL REPRESENTATIVESÂ UNTIL THE END OF PRESIDENT ANDREW JOHNSON'S TERM IN 1869.
A NEW DIE WAS ALSO USED TO REPLACE THE WORN FIRST DIE BEGINNING IN 1846. THE POSITION THE FINGERS ARE POINTING TO ON THE REVERSE IDENTIFY THIS MEDAL AS A SECOND DIE STRIKE. COPPER-BRONZE ISSUES WERE STRUCK FOR COLLECTORS AFTER 1860 FROM THE SAME OFFICIAL DIES.
WEIGHSÂ 188.7 GRAMS
75.7 MM IN DIAMETER
ARTIST/ENGRAVERÂ MORITZ FÃœRST; DESIGNER JOHN REICH
PHILADELPHIA MINT
COMES IN SOFT PLASTIC HOLDER (PARTIALLY SEALED) AND ACCOMPANIED BY NGC PHOTO-CERTIFICATE
