1674 French Colony at Martinique Preserved Medal. Betts-48. Bronze, 41.2 mm. MS-62 BN (PCGS). 463.8 grains. Extremely attractive lustrous chocolate brown with lovely surfaces and hints of pale green and rose. Some trivial friction is seen, but no notable marks. The obverse die state is quite advanced, with some visible rim breaks and the signature beneath the bust truncation almost entirely polished away in the die. The reverse design is busy and evocative, with a bound Dutch captive beside a prow, next to the allegorical American and beneath a flying Fame. The legend COLONIA FRANCORUM AMERICANA VICTRIX translates to "The American Colony of the French Victorious," making a statement that many modern collectors (and historians) miss: Martinique was as "American" in the 17th and 18th centuries as Canada or Massachusetts.<p><p>This medal, though restruck through the 18th century, was first conceived to mark the failed attack on Martinique by Admiral Ruyter and a Dutch naval force in July 1674. The French would never lose Martinique to the Dutch, but the British took the island several times between 1693 and 1815. The island has been French ever since. PCGS# 613769. <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 ex Jim King, April 2011.
