1829 Andrew Jackson Indian Peace Medal. Silver. Third Size. Julian IP-16, Prucha-43. Very Fine. 50.7 mm. 812.3 grains. Pierced for suspension, as issued. Pleasing medium gray over most of the obverse with somewhat deeper patina close to the rims. The reverse is toned to a warm golden gray. Both sides exhibit an even balance of scattered handling marks, fine scratches and small rim marks in testament to the fact that this was an awarded medal worn by its original recipient for a long while. Indeed, the suspension hole is slightly distorted and thinned at the upper edge. The marks speak to a bit of history after this first left indigenous hands as well, as two prominent reeding marks from impact with the edge of a coin are noted on the reverse. As such, we can be fairly certain that this spent some time in a bag of coins, likely treated as silver valuable for little more than its weight. Thankfully it was saved and entered the famed Garrett Collection, though precisely at what date is unknown. According to the Garrett sale catalog, this was "dug in Charlestown in 1862," but no further information was given.<p>Though restrikes in silver are known for this issue (and they are deceptive enough that they have long been collected alongside genuine original medals), this is certainly not among them. On the reverse, a single small die chip seen outside of the inner rim border, just below 3 oclock, identifies this as the second of three observed die states and guarantees its originality. This die was used to strike all of the medals of this size bearing dates 1809 through 1845. The later restrikes employing this reverse die have two chips in this area.<p>Carl Carlson found just four auction records for a third-size Jackson in silver (and notably, only three in bronze). The Ford sales would add six more, including at least one that was a later restrike in silver. While this suggests that the medals might be common, it seems more likely that fortune simply landed an unusual number of the few survivors in one collectors hands. The present writer has identified 17 specimens, four of which are in institutional collections. From the Ronald A. Slovick Family Collection. Earlier, reported to have been "dug in Charlestown in 1862"; Garrett Collection; our (Bowers and Ruddys) sale of the Garrett Collection, March 1981, lot 1921; Gilbert Steinberg; our (Stacks) sale of the Gilbert Steinberg Collection, October 1988, lot 254; our (Stacks) sale of January 1998, lot 79; our (Stacks) sale of January 1999, lot 247.
