(1845) Bronzed-Copper Medal J-IP-24, James K. Polk

Coin Details

Auction Record

$900 MS64BN 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

This bronzed copper Indian Peace Medal depicts James K. Polk, the eleventh President, cataloged as Julian IP-24. Polk's presidency (1845-1849) was dominated by westward expansion, including the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the Oregon Treaty with Britain, which together added vast territories to the United States stretching from Texas to the Pacific Northwest. This dramatic expansion of American sovereignty brought the government into contact and conflict with numerous Native American nations who had previously been beyond the direct reach of federal authority. Peace medals bearing Polk's portrait were distributed during a period of rapid territorial growth and increasing military engagement with indigenous peoples across the West. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War, transferred sovereignty over the Southwest and California to the United States, encompassing the homelands of Apache, Navajo, Pueblo, and many other nations. The Julian IP-24 variety in bronzed copper represents one of the die combinations used for Polk's peace medal program. The obverse features Polk's portrait in the austere, determined style befitting a president who fulfilled virtually all of his ambitious territorial objectives in a single term. These bronzed collector duplicates preserve the designs of medals distributed during one of the most consequential periods of American continental expansion.

Rarity Notes

Bronzed copper striking of Julian IP-24 dies. Polk peace medals were distributed during the Mexican-American War era and the massive territorial expansion of the late 1840s.

Cross References

Julian IP-24; PCGS #535441