1796 Medal Indian Peace Medal Baker-170A The Shepherd

Coin Details

Description

The 1796 Indian Peace Medal Baker-170A, "The Shepherd" variant, is an alternate striking or die variety of the Baker-170 Shepherd design. The "A" suffix in Baker's catalog indicates a distinct version — typically differing in metal composition, edge treatment, size, or die state from the primary Baker-170 listing. Both versions depict the same pastoral shepherd scene that was part of Washington's three-medal Indian peace medal series. The shepherd imagery carried deep symbolic meaning in the late eighteenth century, drawing on both classical and biblical traditions. In the context of Indian peace medals, the shepherd represented the idealized future that the Washington administration envisioned for Native American peoples — a settled, agricultural existence modeled on European-American farming communities. This paternalistic vision was shared across the political spectrum of the early republic and informed federal Indian policy for decades. Baker-170A may represent a different metallic composition, a restrike from modified dies, or a specimen with a distinctive edge treatment. The precise distinction between Baker-170 and Baker-170A is documented in the detailed Baker and Musante-Baker catalogs, which parse these diplomatic medals into numerous subcategories based on physical characteristics. Collectors of early American Indian peace medals value all variants of the 1796 series for their historical significance and artistic merit.

Rarity Notes

Baker-170A variant of The Shepherd Indian Peace Medal. Rarity depends on the specific metallic variant. All versions of the 1796 Indian peace medal series are considered important Washingtoniana.

Cross References

Baker-170A; PCGS #506314; Julian IP-3 variant