1814 Bronze Medal J-NA-15, Bronzed Thomas Macdonoug

Coin Details

Auction Record

$840 SP64 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1814 bronzed naval medal cataloged as Julian NA-15 honors Commodore Thomas Macdonough at the Battle of Lake Champlain. The bronzed finish provides a darker, more lustrous surface than standard bronze, indicating a carefully finished production. This version is distinguished from the restrike by its bronzed treatment and potentially different die characteristics. The obverse features Macdonough's portrait with the bronzed finish enhancing the portrait relief. The reverse carries Lake Champlain commemorative imagery. The bronzed treatment was a premium finish applied to selected productions at the Philadelphia Mint. Macdonough's Lake Champlain victory occurred on the same day that the British army assaulted Fort Erie on the Niagara frontier and just two days before the British burned Washington, D.C. The naval victory prevented a British invasion from Canada that would have severed New England from the rest of the nation, making it arguably more strategically important than the better-known Battle of New Orleans that followed in January 1815.

Rarity Notes

Bronzed finish produced in limited quantities. Premium over standard bronze due to the specialized surface treatment.

Cross References

Julian NA-15; PCGS #825249