(1816) Bronze Medal J-NA-12, Isaac Hull

Coin Details

Auction Record

$126 MS62BN 10-30-2019 Heritage Auctions

Description

The circa 1816 bronze naval medal cataloged as Julian NA-12 honors Captain Isaac Hull and was produced at the U.S. Mint as a collector duplicate. This version shares the same Julian number as the other NA-12 entry but may represent a different production period or die state, with the 1816 date suggesting an early striking closer to the original authorization. The obverse features Hull's naval portrait. The reverse carries imagery of the Constitution's victory over Guerriere. The engagement was significant not only for its tactical outcome but for demonstrating that American ship design and seamanship could match the Royal Navy, which had dominated the world's oceans virtually unchallenged since Trafalgar in 1805. Hull came from a naval family — his uncle William Hull was the general who surrendered Detroit at the start of the War of 1812, a humiliation that made Isaac Hull's naval victory all the more personally meaningful. After his triumph over the Guerriere, Hull served in various shore commands and later as a Navy Commissioner, but the Constitution engagement remained the defining achievement of his career.

Rarity Notes

Bronze duplicate from circa 1816 production. Early strikings closer to the authorization date may show different die characteristics from later restrikes.

Cross References

Julian NA-12; PCGS #518694