1817 Medal Rulau-10 BHM-957 The Florida Expedition

Coin Details

Description

Commemorating Andrew Jackson's military incursion into Spanish Florida, this 1817 medal bears the dual catalog designations Rulau-10 and BHM-957 (British Historical Medals), the latter confirming its manufacture in England where medallic art firms routinely produced pieces celebrating American events for the transatlantic collector market. The obverse features Washington's portrait deployed as a patriotic emblem linking the founding generation to the expansionist ambitions of the early republic, while the reverse references the Florida Expedition that would ultimately lead to Spain's cession of the territory through the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819. Washington's image on a medal commemorating events three decades after his presidency illustrates how his likeness had already become a universal American symbol by the early nineteenth century, transcending any single historical moment. The piece falls within the broader Washington Pieces (1783-1800) series classification despite its 1817 date because Washington medallic issues spanning several decades are grouped by their Washingtonian subject matter rather than strict chronology. British manufacture is consistent with the extensive London and Birmingham medal industry that served American collectors throughout the 1800s, producing commemorative pieces on superior screw presses with higher relief than most American facilities could achieve at the time. Rare by any measure, the Florida Expedition medal is uncommon in commerce and seldom appears at major auction, making it a challenging acquisition for Washington medal specialists.

Rarity Notes

Rare. This Florida Expedition medal is uncommon.

Cross References

Rulau-10; BHM-957