1911 Silver Medal Osage Wah-She-Hah E.K. Elder, Pierced

Coin Details

Auction Record

$7,200 MS63 04-03-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1911 silver medal, pierced for suspension, honors the Osage nation with the inscription "Wah-She-Hah" and the attribution to E.K. Elder. The Osage were one of the wealthiest Native American nations, particularly after oil was discovered on their Oklahoma reservation in the early twentieth century. "Wah-She-Hah" is an Osage phrase or name. E.K. Elder may be the designer or commissioner of the medal. Pierced for wear, this served as a pendant or badge. Silver medals honoring specific Native American nations and incorporating indigenous language are uncommon and historically significant, documenting cross-cultural interactions. American commemorative medals document the nation's history through miniature sculptural art, preserving events, achievements, and personalities in a durable metallic format that has served collectors and historians for centuries. This complements the aluminum version (PCGS #905248).

Rarity Notes

Rare. Osage Wah-She-Hah medal, silver, pierced, 1911. Native American-related medals are actively collected.

Cross References

PCGS #932881; Osage; Wah-She-Hah; E.K. Elder; Silver; Pierced; 1911