1783 Silver Medal Betts-612, Treaty of Paris

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,600 MS64 03-29-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1783 silver medal (Betts-612) is the standard version of the Treaty of Paris / Treaty of Versailles commemorative, pairing the peace theme obverse with the standard reverse design. The 1783 treaties marked the formal end of the American Revolution and established the United States as a sovereign nation recognized by the major European powers. The silver composition made this version a premium commemorative, produced in smaller numbers than bronze versions. The Betts-612 medal is one of the terminal entries in the catalog's coverage of events during the American colonial and revolutionary period, closing the narrative that began with sixteenth-century European exploration medals. Medal production technology evolved significantly during the Betts period, from the hand-engraved dies and screw presses of the sixteenth century to the more mechanized operations that became standard by the mid-eighteenth century. The peace of 1783 represents the culmination of the entire historical arc documented by the Betts catalog.

Rarity Notes

Original 1783 silver. Treaty of Paris / Versailles. Standard reverse. Scarce.

Cross References

Betts-612; Treaty of Paris 1783; Treaty of Versailles; American independence