(1666) Bronze Medal Betts-42, Plain Edge, St. Kitts

Coin Details

Auction Record

$353 MS65BN 11-02-2016 Stack's Bowers

Description

This bronze medal with Paris edge mark, Betts-42 PE, is a later Paris Mint production of the St. Kitts medal from 1666. The PE designation identifies this as a Paris Mint product with distinctive edge markings. St. Christopher, the subject of this medal, holds special significance as one of the first Caribbean islands colonized by both England and France, making it a focal point for inter-colonial rivalry throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The iconographic vocabulary of colonial medals drew heavily on classical mythology and allegory, with figures representing continents, rivers, virtues, and vices arranged in compositions that conveyed complex political messages. This Paris edition allows collectors to acquire an example of this important Caribbean colonial medal, preserving the artistic and historical content of the original design in an accessible format produced by the French national mint.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Paris Mint edition of this Caribbean colonial medal.

Cross References

Betts-42 PE