(1865) Silver Medal GW-767, Enemies In War, In Peace Friends

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,160 MS61 11-09-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

This silver medal cataloged as GW-767 bears the inscription "Enemies In War, In Peace Friends," produced circa 1865 as the Civil War drew to a close. The sentiment — adapted from Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address ("We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists") and the broader tradition of post-conflict reconciliation — reflected the hope that the end of the Civil War would bring national reunification rather than permanent division. Washington's portrait on this reconciliation-themed medal invoked the founding father's own warnings against partisan division in his Farewell Address. The silver composition indicates this was a premium piece intended for thoughtful collectors rather than mass distribution. The timing of this medal at the war's conclusion gives it particular historical resonance, as the nation grappled with the enormous challenge of Reconstruction and reconciliation. The Latin-tinged phrasing elevates the political message to a philosophical plane appropriate to the gravity of the moment.

Rarity Notes

GW-767, silver. Reconciliation theme. Post-Civil War era. Silver composition limits surviving population.

Cross References

PCGS #909532; GW-767; Enemies In War In Peace Friends, silver