1697 Bronze Medal Betts-86, French Victory Medal

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,763 MS63BN 02-16-2017 Heritage Auctions

Description

This 1697 bronze medal, Betts-86, is a French victory medal commemorating a military triumph near the end of King William's War. The bronze composition indicates standard production for broad distribution. French military successes during the Nine Years' War were systematically commemorated through Louis XIV's medal program, with each significant victory or diplomatic achievement receiving its own medal design. Colonial medals served multiple functions simultaneously: as propaganda tools promoting imperial policy, as diplomatic gifts establishing relationships with indigenous peoples and rival powers, and as commemorative art preserving historical memory. This medal documents French military achievements in the Americas during the final phase of the war, before the Treaty of Ryswick temporarily halted hostilities between the European colonial powers.

Rarity Notes

Rare. French victory medals from 1697 with American colonial connections.

Cross References

Betts-86