(1813) Bronzed-Copper Medal J-MI-14, Maj. Gen. W.H. Harrison

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,560 MS64BN 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

The circa 1813 bronzed copper military medal cataloged as Julian MI-14 honors Major General William Henry Harrison for his victory at the Battle of the Thames on October 5, 1813, during the War of 1812. Harrison's forces defeated a combined British and Native American army in Upper Canada, killing the Shawnee leader Tecumseh, whose death effectively ended the pan-Indian resistance movement he had organized against American westward expansion. The obverse features a portrait of Harrison in military dress. The reverse depicts imagery commemorating the Thames campaign. The bronzed copper finish provides a dark, lustrous surface. Congress authorized Harrison's gold medal in recognition of a victory that secured the entire Northwest frontier for the United States. Harrison's military fame from the Battle of the Thames and the earlier Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 propelled him to the presidency in 1840 on the campaign slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too." His death after only thirty-one days in office made him the shortest-serving president in American history. The MI-14 medal commemorates the military career that made his political rise possible.

Rarity Notes

Bronzed copper format produced in limited quantities. Harrison's subsequent presidency adds crossover collecting interest from presidential medal enthusiasts.

Cross References

Julian MI-14; PCGS #619462