(1766) Gilt Bronze Medal Betts-515, William Pitt

Coin Details

Auction Record

$840 AU58 08-24-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

Betts-515 in gilt bronze is a gilded version of the William Pitt medal, combining the bronze base metal with an applied gold-toned surface that mimics precious metal at lower cost. Gilt bronze Pitt medals occupy the middle ground between plain bronze and silver, offering a more luxurious appearance for recipients who desired something finer than standard bronze but could not afford silver. The William Pitt medals of 1766 were among the most politically charged commemoratives of the pre-Revolutionary period, expressing colonial America's gratitude toward the British statesman who fought against the Stamp Act. The gilded finish would have given this medal an impressive golden appearance when new, though surviving examples typically show wear to the gilding that reveals the bronze beneath. Gilt bronze colonial medals are somewhat scarcer than plain bronze because fewer were produced in this intermediate finish.

Rarity Notes

Gilt bronze Pitt medal. Intermediate finish, fewer produced than plain bronze. Scarce with significant gilding remaining.

Cross References

Betts-515; PCGS #541630