1889 Benjamin Harrison Indian Peace Medal. Copper, Bronzed. Julian IP-48, Prucha-58. MS-66 BN (NGC). 76 mm. Light somewhat golden-brown with soft blue-green patina in areas that adds considerably to the overall visual appeal. Satiny and lustrous with few marks. One just over the settlers head in the rightmost medallion of the reverse design is noted for provenance purposes, though at a certain angle to the light, even this disappears from ready view.Among the bronze collector strikes for the Peace medal series, the round Benjamin Harrison is the rarest. In fact, our online archives going back more than a decade include not a single impression, not even in the vast John J. Ford Collection Peace medal holdings that brought to market about 120 original silver medals and extensive offerings in bronze. Two are to be found in the Heritage archives, not known for Peace medals. A damaged one brought just over $1,900 in their November 2021 sale, while an MS-64BN realized $5,875 in June 2016. It has been stated that just 28 of these were struck. While we have not pursued a detailed study of them, it is very clear that very few survive. We are aware of one in the 1986 Dreyfuss sale, and another in the 1981 Kessler-Spangenberger sale by NASCA. Though this is without the distinctive oval shape that the close of the Peace medal era is generally known for, it is, without a question, the outstanding rarity in the series.
