"1778" Bronze Medal Non-Dependens Status

Coin Details

Auction Record

$576 MS64BN 11-08-2017 Stack's Bowers

Description

This bronze medal bears the date 1778 and the Latin motto NON DEPENDENS STATUS, meaning "An Independent State." The medal commemorates the emerging sovereignty of the United States during the American Revolution, with its obverse depicting an allegorical female figure representing Liberty or Columbia. The reverse carries the motto and date, referencing the period when the fledgling nation was asserting its independence from Great Britain through both military campaigns and diplomatic negotiations with European powers. The piece belongs to a family of Americana medals produced in the late 18th or early 19th century that celebrated the founding ideals of the republic. The bronze composition and style suggest this may be a later restrike or commemorative issue rather than an original 1778 striking, as many such patriotic medals were reproduced throughout the 19th century for collectors and historical societies. The NON DEPENDENS STATUS inscription was a popular sentiment that appeared on various medallic issues of the Revolutionary period, expressing the core aspiration of the American independence movement.

Rarity Notes

Scarce in bronze. Multiple die varieties and metal compositions exist for this type, with originals being considerably rarer than later restrikes.

Cross References

PCGS #640151