1797 (ca. 1850s) John Adams Indian Peace Medal. Bronze. Third Size. First Reverse. Julian IP-1, Prucha-59. MS-63 BN (NGC). 51 mm. 1082.4 grains. Beautiful light caramel bronze with some subtle streaks of somewhat darker patina over the shoulder and left of the bust. Sharp and subtly prooflike with a few faint marks scattered about, but superb eye appeal nonetheless.<p>This is the "official" size for this issue, though no medals were struck bearing the name or image of John Adams for actual distribution to Native Americans. It has been long believed that Moritz Fürst cut this obverse die in the 1830s and that it was in the care of the Mint for some time, unused. There are clichés of the obverse from the 1840s, so we know that there was an effort at that time to put the die into use. It was written by Julian and Prucha that the obverse die ended up in the collection of Joseph Mickley and was revealed in the November 1878 sale of his property. However, that catalog, under a heading of "United States Steel Dies, Hubs &c." lists not a die for the Adams medal, but a "hub." The distinction in the header clarifies that the writer knew the difference and it seems to have been Father Prucha who erroneously assumed the word "hub" referred to the die itself. In fact, the die was listed in Benjamin Franklin Peales 1841 "Register of the Medal Dies of the U.S. with Notes, etc..." so we know it was in the Mint at that time. It is quite possible that this published account of its existence prompted astute collectors to make inquiries of the Mint in efforts to acquire specimens.<p>In 1844, a grouping of U.S. Mint medals was struck for presentation to the Franklin Institute, and the list was published in the August 3, 1844 edition of <em>Niles Register</em>. The listing of Peace medals did not include a John Adams. In fact, it was specified therein that these dies had "not been constructed." We know this latter entry is incorrect, but the fact the that Adams medal was not included does indeed suggest that the obverse die was not yet in service.<p>The original Peace and Friendship die used to strike this medal was used on all issued silver Peace medals from the 1809 Madison through the 1845 Polk. It seems to have broken early, as nearly all of the small-size silver medals seen, including most of the 1809 Madison issues, exhibit a small rough chip within the narrow trench outside of the inner rim border, just below 3 oclock. The die developed a secondary chip, probably in the 1850s. From the Ronald A. Slovick Collection. Purchased from Presidential Coin and Antique, June 1982.
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