(1809) Bronze Medal J-IP-5, 76mm James Madison

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,528 SP65 08-01-2017 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 76mm bronze Indian Peace Medal portrays James Madison, the fourth President, and is cataloged as Julian IP-5. Madison's presidency (1809-1817) coincided with one of the most turbulent periods in United States-Native American relations, as the War of 1812 drew many tribal nations into the broader conflict between the United States and Great Britain. The British actively courted Native American alliances, particularly among the tribes of the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley regions, and the distribution of peace medals became a competitive tool of diplomacy as both powers sought to secure indigenous loyalty. The Julian IP-5 variant at 76mm represents the large-format version of the Madison peace medal, providing ample space for the presidential portrait and the reverse peace imagery. Madison's portrait on the obverse reflects the dignified, reserved style characteristic of the Virginia dynasty presidents. The reverse continues the clasped-hands motif with the PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP legend that had become the standard reverse design for the series. During the War of 1812, American peace medals took on heightened significance. Tribal leaders who possessed and displayed American medals were signaling their alliance with the United States at a time when such allegiance could carry mortal consequences. The Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 and subsequent frontier conflicts made the peace medal both a diplomatic tool and a statement of political alignment in an era when the fate of Native American nations hung in the balance between competing imperial powers.

Rarity Notes

Bronze 76mm format. Madison peace medals were distributed during the War of 1812 era, a period of intense diplomatic competition with Britain for Native American alliances.

Cross References

Julian IP-5; PCGS #534566