1796 Medal Indian Peace Medal Baker-172A The Family

Coin Details

Description

The 1796 Indian Peace Medal Baker-172A, "The Family" variant, is an alternate striking of the Baker-172 design, the third medal in Washington's three-part Indian peace medal series. The "A" suffix designates a variant distinguished by metallic composition, edge treatment, or die characteristics from the primary Baker-172 listing. The Family design holds particular significance within the Indian peace medal tradition because it represents the most explicitly domestic and personal of the three themes. While The Shepherd and The Farmer depicted economic activities that could be understood as practical recommendations, The Family design made a statement about social organization and private life that went to the heart of cultural identity. The medal thus serves as a primary document of the paternalistic assumptions underlying early American Indian policy. Baker-172A may represent a later restrike, an alternate metal composition (such as bronze or white metal instead of silver), or a specimen struck from a reworked or replacement die. The comprehensive cataloging of Indian peace medal variants by Baker and subsequent scholars reflects the intense collector interest in these pieces, which stand at the intersection of American art, diplomacy, and Native American history. Each variant tells part of the production and distribution story of these historically significant medals.

Rarity Notes

Baker-172A variant of The Family Indian Peace Medal. Rarity depends on specific composition. The complete 1796 series in any variant is a significant Washingtoniana holding.

Cross References

Baker-172A; PCGS #506318; Julian IP-5 variant