View All American Revolutionary War (1775-1782), Betts 538-601

1775 Silver Medal Betts-551, Lord North

Strike Type

Coin Details

Year

1775

Denomination

Medals

Strike Type

Regular Strike

Series

Betts Medals (1580-1784)

Composition

N/A

Auction Record

Price realized: $3,840
Sold: 3 April 2024
Grade: MS63
Auction house: Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1775 silver medal (Betts-551) is the silver version of the Lord North medal, produced in the year the American Revolution began with the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. The silver composition makes this considerably scarcer than the bronze version (PCGS #613452). Lord North's legacy is inextricably linked to the loss of the American colonies — he implemented the punitive legislation that united colonial opposition and then prosecuted a war that Britain ultimately lost. The silver Betts-551 is a key document of the British perspective on the opening of the Revolutionary War, providing a medallic counterpoint to the American narrative of heroic resistance against tyranny.