Undated (1761) King George III and Queen Charlotte Medal. Betts-440, Jam. Fig. 10, Adams 11.1 (Obverse 1, Reverse A). Silver, 38.2 mm. AU-53 (PCGS).Holed as issued. Rims 1.4 - 1.7 millimeters thick. 218.2 grains. A very pleasing example of this elusive type, one known to have been awarded to native Americans in the era from the end of the French and Indian War through the early days of the American Revolution. Lustrous and mostly brilliant with some toning inside the raised rims. Hairlines are visible on both sides but there is no significant damage, just scattered marks. The devices are crisp and well detailed on both sides.<p><p>This is a very rare type, and this is one of just 13 pieces in John Adams modern census of surviving examples. Nine of those known to Adams are in institutional collections. This is Adams Census Specimen 12 and the plate specimen Adams selected to illustrate the dies. Since we last sold this example in 2009, weve sold just one other. It appeared in our January 2013 Americana sale first and then again in our November 2020 offering of the Larry Ness Collection, where it brought $10,400.<p>Martha Wilson Hamilton noted in her important work <em>Silver in the Fur Trade, 1680-1820</em> that "an example of this medal was found in Alabama (Alabama Department of History and Archives) and was possibly among those presented at Pensacola in May 1765, to mark the opening of a trade policy outlined in the Proclamation of 1763." Members of the Creek and Cherokee tribes were present at that conference. Further, as documentary evidence, John Adams references an August 1777 invoice that notes, among trade items delivered to provincial agent William Knox, "70 Silver Medals Kings and Queens." This medal also shares a reverse die with the small size undated (ca. 1776) George III Indian Peace medals, lending a bit of continuity in the Indian Peace medal series.<p>While a medal like this could have been awarded to non-natives, the same could be said for most of the British Indian Peace medal series. That 70 of these were being distributed after the summer of 1777 should be enough for any advanced collector of American Indian Peace medals to want one in their cabinet.<p><p>.PCGS# 926035.<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 Catherine Bullowas sale of January 16, 1982, lot 149; our (Stacks) Philadelphia Americana sale of September 2009, lot 70.
