(1801) Bronze Medal J-IP-3, 75mm Thomas Jefferson

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,840 MS62BN 06-16-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 75mm bronze Indian Peace Medal depicts Thomas Jefferson, cataloged as Julian IP-3, and represents one of the most historically significant issues in the entire peace medal series. Jefferson's presidency marked a transformative period in United States-Native American relations, driven by the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 which more than doubled the nation's territory and brought the government into contact with dozens of previously unfamiliar tribal nations across the trans-Mississippi West. Jefferson personally directed the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-1806, and peace medals bearing his likeness were among the most important items carried by the Corps of Discovery. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark distributed Jefferson peace medals to tribal leaders they encountered along the Missouri River, across the Rocky Mountains, and down to the Pacific Coast. These medals served as tangible symbols of the new sovereignty claimed by the United States over the vast Louisiana territory, and their presentation during council meetings established diplomatic protocols that would govern relations for decades. The Julian IP-3 variant at 75mm diameter is the large-format bronze version, offering a substantial canvas for the presidential portrait on the obverse and the clasped-hands peace motif on the reverse. The Jefferson peace medals are among the most studied in the series due to their association with the Lewis and Clark expedition, and archaeological discoveries of Jefferson medals at Native American sites across the western United States continue to provide evidence of the expedition's diplomatic reach.

Rarity Notes

Bronze 75mm format. Jefferson peace medals are among the most historically documented in the series due to their distribution by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Original silver presentation pieces are rare and appear infrequently at auction.

Cross References

Julian IP-3; PCGS #535844