(1690) Bronze Medal Betts-72, Quebec Preserved

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,840 MS63BN 08-24-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

This bronze medal, Betts-72, is another variety of the Quebec Preserved series commemorating the successful French defense of Quebec in 1690. The multiplicity of medal types celebrating this event reflects the propaganda value France derived from the victory. Frontenac's defiant response to Phips became legendary in French colonial lore, and the repulse of the English expedition demonstrated that New France could defend itself against numerically superior forces. The quality of die engraving on the finest Betts medals rivals the best European artistic production of their respective periods, with master medalists achieving remarkable detail in portraits, landscapes, and battle scenes. The medal documents what was arguably the most important military engagement in North America during King William's War, with consequences that shaped the colonial balance of power for decades.

Rarity Notes

Rare. One of several Quebec Preserved medal varieties in the Betts catalog.

Cross References

Betts-72