(1775) Bronze Medal Betts-531, Deeds of Peace

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,040 MS64BN 04-03-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

Betts-531 in bronze commemorates Deeds of Peace in 1775, an ironic title for a medal produced in the year that saw the beginning of the American Revolution with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The "Deeds of Peace" may reference last-ditch diplomatic efforts to resolve the imperial crisis, or it may be a satirical commentary on British policies that colonists viewed as aggression masked by peaceful rhetoric. The 1775 date makes this one of the most historically charged medals in the Betts catalog, produced at the very moment when the colonial relationship was collapsing into armed conflict. Bronze strikings were produced for broad distribution, allowing colonists and Britons alike to possess a medallic commentary on the crisis. Medals from 1775 are transitional pieces -- they belong to the colonial era that Betts cataloged but also to the Revolutionary period that was just beginning.

Rarity Notes

Bronze medal from the pivotal year 1775. Transitional colonial-to-Revolutionary piece. Scarce.

Cross References

Betts-531; PCGS #615581