1777 B. Franklin of Philadelphia Medal. Betts-547. Copper, 45 mm. MS-62 BN (PCGS). 618.7 grains. An iconic rarity among medals of the American Revolution, those that honor Benjamin Franklin, and the Betts series as a whole. Rich medium chocolate brown surfaces show good gloss and eye appeal on both sides. Scattered marks are seen, typical of this high relief issue. A bit of old verdigris is noted around the obverse periphery, most notable in the lower right, and a stripe of green corrosion extends from the upper left reverse field into the top of the tree. A little bit of verdigris has been removed from between 1 and 7 of the date. Double struck to bring up the impressive relief, as are all seen. <p>This is a scarce medal, and its one whose population is weighted heavily toward the lower reaches of typical medal preservation. Adams had a nice Uncirculated piece, of course, that realized $16,800 in our sale of November 2019. A PCGS SP-64 BN from Norm Peters brought $20,400 in our June 2021 sale. Aside from those two, and a lovely one sold in our August 2013 ANA sale, the offerings over the last decade and beyond have been largely examples with significant wear, damage, or both. <p><p>The origins of the 1777 B. Franklin of Philadelphia medal are obscure. The distinctive portrait, and the unusual basining of the reverse, bring to mind a group of medals that are clearly related: the 1778 Washington "Voltaire" medal, the 1777 Chevalier DEon medal, and the 1776 David Hume medal. Tony Lopez did a good job punchlinking this group in the June 2008 <em>MCA Advisory</em>, and finding that a group of medals shares a punchset is good evidence if not a slam dunk that they come from the same workshop. The August 2008 issue of the same journal features a detailed examination by English medal mensch Christopher Eimer, reflecting on the conversation he and Richard Margolis had shared years earlier discussing many of the same connections among these medals, while cautioning that little evidence connects these medals to the liberal-minded ceramics makers Wedgwood and Bentley. <p><p>Mr. Margolis notes with this medal reflect some of those beliefs: "This piece is apparently the work of the same bashful engraver responsible for the David Hume, Washington Voltaire, and Chevalier DEon medals. These pieces were probably unsigned because the engraver felt it politically unwise to do so." Interestingly, the planchet of this piece (618.7 grains) weighs almost the same as that on the thick planchet Washington Voltaire medal (607.5 grains) offered above.<p>So while we cannot identify the medalist, we can certainly narrow down the mindset, the crowd, and the political perspective that would inspire a medal of Franklin at a time that he was the most famous face of a treasonous band of colonists. And this medal doesnt just evoke Franklin, it celebrates him: mentioning his honorary degree from the University of Saint Andrews and his fellowship in the Royal Society. The medals pose and inscription are based upon a print of Franklin by Edward Fisher published in 1763, when Franklin was the toast of London, an ally and a strong advocate for the government of George III. This pro-Franklin obverse juxtaposed with his immovable strength - like a tree in a lightning storm - all during the Revolutionary tumult of 1777 makes for a highly charged political statement.<p> From the Richard Margolis Collection. Earlier from Jose Antonio P. Godinho Miranda of Lisbon, Portugal, March 1979.
