1596 American Commerce Medal. Betts-17. Copper, 29.5 mm. EF-45 (PCGS). 92.2 grains. A scarce Dutch jeton, cataloged by Betts (in silver only) but rarely encountered in American collections. While Ford lacked this Betts number, LaRivieres brought $3,910 in our (Bowers and Merenas) May 2001 sale. John Adams had a slightly granular specimen that brought $881.25 in the Heritage sale of January 2013, but it took him until 1990 to find one at all. This example is well struck and attractive, with glossy medium brown surfaces. Some bits of inactive verdigris are noted, including at the stop after NVNC, but the look and preservation are choice overall. <p><p>This is scarcer than the large size Betts-16 (also dated 1596) and displays a very similar obverse motif. Betts connects both pieces with early commercial voyages to Brazil and St. Thomas. PCGS# 613945. <strong>To view supplemental information and all items from the Sydney F. Martin Collection, click<a href="https://stacksbowers.com/sydney-f-martin-collection/"target=’_blank’> here.</a></strong> From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from Rosa Americana, Ltd., FPL 13, July 1998, lot 486.
