1754 Medal Betts-399, College at Lima

Coin Details

Description

This 1754 medal (Betts-399) relates to the College (University) at Lima, Peru, connecting the Spanish colonial educational system to the broader narrative of American colonial history. The Royal University of San Marcos in Lima, founded in 1551, was the first university established in the Americas and a center of colonial intellectual life. The 1754 date places this medal at the outset of the French and Indian War, though its subject is Spanish colonial rather than Anglo-French. Betts included medals from all European colonial powers in the Americas, recognizing that Spanish, French, English, and Dutch colonial histories were deeply intertwined. 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 Lima medal documents the cultural infrastructure that Spain built in its American territories.

Rarity Notes

Original 1754 medal. Spanish colonial educational subject. Unusual topic within the Betts catalog. Scarce.

Cross References

Betts-399; College at Lima; University of San Marcos; Spanish colonial Peru 1754