(1763) Gold Medal Betts-447, Messenger of Peace

Coin Details

Description

Betts-447 in gold (AV) is the most precious version of the Messenger of Peace medal from 1763, celebrating the diplomatic resolution of the Seven Years' War. Gold strikings were reserved for royalty and the highest-ranking diplomats involved in the peace negotiations. The Messenger of Peace design features allegorical imagery of peace -- Mercury as divine messenger, olive branches, or the personification of Peace herself -- combined with references to the Treaty of Paris that ended the global conflict. The gold medal represents the supreme level of diplomatic commemoration, produced in tiny numbers for the most important participants in the peace process. Gold Betts medals from the Treaty of Paris period are among the most valuable items in colonial numismatics, combining extreme rarity with connection to the treaty that fundamentally reshaped the American colonies and set the stage for the independence movement.

Rarity Notes

Gold (AV) Messenger of Peace medal. Extremely rare diplomatic presentation piece. Among the most valuable Betts medals.

Cross References

Betts-447; PCGS #924946