1697 Medal Betts-85

Coin Details

Auction Record

$565 MS65BN 04-19-2018 eBay

Description

This 1697 medal, Betts-85, dates from the final year of King William's War, which ended with the Treaty of Ryswick. The treaty restored the status quo ante bellum in the Americas, returning captured territories to their pre-war owners. While the treaty settled little in terms of colonial boundaries, the war had demonstrated the vulnerability of both English and French colonies to attack and the importance of military preparedness. The Betts series documents the full arc of European colonialism in the Western Hemisphere, from the earliest Spanish exploration medals through the diplomatic pieces marking American independence. The year 1697 marked a brief interlude of peace before the outbreak of Queen Anne's War in 1702, which would once again plunge the American colonies into conflict as England and France renewed their struggle for continental dominance.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Medals from the final year of King William War are scarce.

Cross References

Betts-85