1817 Bronze Medal J-IP-9, James Monroe

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,020 MS64BN 04-03-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1817 bronze Indian Peace Medal cataloged as Julian IP-9 bears the portrait of President James Monroe and is the bronze collector duplicate of the silver presentation medals distributed to Native American leaders during Monroe's presidency. The Monroe administration oversaw the negotiation of dozens of treaties with eastern tribes, and peace medals accompanied nearly every major council between American commissioners and tribal delegations. The obverse features Monroe's right-facing portrait with the inscription JAMES MONROE PRESIDENT OF THE U.S. A.D. 1817, attributed to the engraving work of Moritz Furst, a Hungarian-born die sinker who produced several important American medals during this period. The reverse carries the standard clasped-hands motif with crossed peace pipe and tomahawk beneath the motto PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP, a design that had become the universal reverse for the presidential Indian Peace Medal series. Bronze duplicates of the Monroe peace medal were struck at the Philadelphia Mint across multiple periods for sale to collectors and for deposit in institutional collections. The consistent availability of bronze restrikes has made this format the most commonly encountered version of the Monroe Indian Peace Medal, while the silver originals remain substantially scarcer.

Rarity Notes

Bronze duplicates were restruck across multiple periods during the nineteenth century. More commonly available than earlier presidential issues in this format due to larger restrike runs.

Cross References

Julian IP-9; PCGS #517810