Undated (1880 or later) Louis XIV French-Indian Medal, Honos et Virtus. Modern Paris Mint Strike. After Betts-160. Bronze. Specimen-65 (PCGS). 55 mm. <strong>Obv:</strong> Bust right of Louis XIV with legend LVDOVICVS . XIIII . D . G . FR. ET . NAV . REX around. <strong>Rev:</strong> Personifications of military strength and honor shaking hands with legend HONOS ET VIRTUS above, signed W at lower right, on exergual line. <strong>Edge:</strong> Marked (cornucopia) BRONZE at 7 oclock. Rare even in restrike copper form. Compare Stahl 2-4 (ANS COAC 1991) for the original designs for this type, which are quite different from that seen on this restrike. An earlier striking of this type, although also 1880 or later based on its (cornucopia) CUIVRE edge marking, appeared in our (Stacks) October 2006 Ford XVI sale.<p>In Victor Morins manuscript notes preserved in the Ford archive we read: Certain numismatists have doubted that these medals were struck for the Indians of Canada, but conclusive proof is found in a letter by Father Reubaud, Jesuit missionary with the Abenakis, writing of the mission of Saint Francois in Oct. 21, 1757, and preserved in Vol. III of <em>Letters edifiantes et curieuses ecrites des Missions Etrangeres</em>, where he describes a great assembly of Indian warriors and says The Chiefs and the Captains are thus distinguished, the former by the neck piece worn by officers and the latter by a medal which represents on one side the portrait of the King and on the reverse Mars and Bellone who hold each others hand, with this inscription, Honos et Virtus. He cites this from memory. At the present time these medals are still found in the possession of Indian Chiefs; Chief Mathias Francois, of Pictou, traces his to the time of the capture of Louisburg, the time he says when the Micmacs fought with the French against the English. Apparently, this medal was made in two sizes, large and small, as evidenced by the presentation of one of each size to Menominee warriors by Louis de Bougainville on July 15, 1756. It should be noted that these seem to have been awarded as marks of military valor and not as tokens of allegiance or status.
