Period of Discovery (1556-1631), Betts 1-33

About This Coin

Opening the Betts catalog at its earliest entries, numbers 1 through 33 document the medallic record of European exploration and discovery in the Americas from 1556 to 1631 — an era encompassing the consolidation of Spanish colonial power, English settlement at Jamestown and Plymouth, and the expansion of Dutch trading networks in the New World. These medals, cataloged by C. Wyllys Betts in his 1894 reference work, were struck at European mints to commemorate voyages of exploration, military conquests, royal patronage of colonial ventures, and the establishment of trading companies that would shape the transatlantic economy for centuries. Subjects range from Spanish viceregal portraiture and commemorations of New World silver wealth to Dutch West India Company pieces and English colonial charter celebrations. The earliest medals in this group rank among the most historically significant numismatic objects connected to American history, predating the existence of any colonial coinage by decades. Metal compositions vary widely — silver, bronze, lead, and white metal examples all appear within this range — and many survive in only a handful of specimens, reflecting their age and the limited original mintages typical of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century commemorative medals. A notable auction result reached $13,000 in MS61 grade at Stack's Bowers, though the rarest entries in this range can command far higher prices when they appear. Collectors pursuing early Betts medals should expect significant surface irregularities consistent with period manufacturing techniques, and should rely on provenance documentation and specialized expertise given the age and rarity of these pieces. The historical depth of this group makes it essential source material for scholars studying the material culture of European colonialism in the Western Hemisphere.