(1825) Silver Medal J-IP-11, Holed John Quincy Adams

Coin Details

Auction Record

$450 SP61 09-05-2018 eBay

Description

This silver Indian Peace Medal with hole depicts John Quincy Adams, the sixth President, and is cataloged as Julian IP-11. The holed condition is characteristic of peace medals that were actually worn by their Native American recipients. Tribal leaders who received these medals as gifts from the United States government typically had a hole drilled or punched near the top so the medal could be suspended from a cord or chain and worn around the neck as a visible symbol of their diplomatic relationship with the President. The presence of a hole, while technically reducing a medal's grade in numismatic terms, actually enhances its historical significance by providing evidence that the piece served its intended diplomatic purpose rather than remaining in a collection. Many of the finest surviving peace medals bear holes or suspension loops that attest to generations of use as symbols of political authority within tribal communities. John Quincy Adams served as president from 1825 to 1829, a period when federal Indian policy was shifting decisively toward removal. Adams's father John Adams had been among the first presidents to distribute peace medals, and the younger Adams continued the tradition during his single term. The Julian IP-11 designation identifies the specific die combination used for this silver presentation piece, which was struck at the Philadelphia Mint for direct presentation to a Native American leader.

Rarity Notes

Silver striking with hole from original wearing — evidence of actual diplomatic use. Holed silver peace medals are rare survivors of the presentation tradition and carry significant historical provenance.

Cross References

Julian IP-11; PCGS #673378