"1854" Medal Julian PE-26v (1950-70) Restrike Japan Trade Agreement Bronze

Coin Details

Description

This bronze medal is a mid-20th century restrike (circa 1950-1970) of the Julian PE-26v design commemorating the 1854 Japan Trade Agreement negotiated by Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry. The original medal honored the Convention of Kanagawa, signed on March 31, 1854, which opened Japan to American trade after more than two centuries of self-imposed isolation under the Tokugawa shogunate. Perry's "Black Ships" — steam-powered warships that demonstrated Western military technology — had arrived in Edo Bay in July 1853, and his return in February 1854 led to the treaty that fundamentally altered the course of Japanese and world history. The Julian PE-26v catalog designation identifies this as a variant within the Perry Japan treaty medal series. The restrike was produced from original or copied dies sometime between 1950 and 1970, making it accessible to collectors who could not obtain the rare original 1854 strikings. The medal's subject matter connects it to one of the most consequential diplomatic achievements in American foreign policy.

Rarity Notes

The 1950-70 restrike is more available than the original 1854 striking. Original Julian PE-26 medals are rare, while restrikes are scarce but obtainable.

Cross References

PCGS #768012; Julian PE-26v