1973-P Medal Marquette Gold

Coin Details

Auction Record

$30 MS66 06-07-2019 eBay

Description

This 1973-P gold medal from the Philadelphia Mint honors Father Jacques Marquette, the French Jesuit missionary and explorer who, with Louis Jolliet, became one of the first Europeans to explore and map the upper Mississippi River in 1673. The 1973 date marks the tercentenary of the Marquette-Jolliet expedition, which traveled from the Great Lakes down the Mississippi to the mouth of the Arkansas River, establishing French claims to the interior of North America. Marquette's journals provided the first detailed European descriptions of the Mississippi River ecosystem and the Native American peoples along its banks. The American medallic tradition draws on European precedents while developing distinctly national characteristics, with medal producers from the U.S. Mint to private firms creating pieces that reflect American values and commemorative practices. The gold composition reflects the significance of this tercentenary celebration.

Rarity Notes

Gold, Philadelphia Mint. Marquette tercentenary 1973. Very limited gold production.

Cross References

PCGS #76117; Father Jacques Marquette; Mississippi River Exploration 1673; Tercentenary; Gold