1865 Andrew Johnson Indian Peace Medal. Silver. First Size. Julian IP-40, Prucha-52, Musante GW-770, Baker-173X. About Uncirculated. 75.6 mm. 2606.7 grains. Original ornamental suspension hanger is intact, though its slightly loose and rocking slightly to the touch. This style of hanger, though a novel idea, was not really a good one as the hangers were too fragile for the wear these medals would often endure. About half of those known are without their hangers, and undoubtedly, failure at this point resulted in the loss of many that will likely never be accounted for. This piece not only survived intact, but has been thoughtfully handled for a long time. The surfaces are light silver gray with accents of deeper gray, iridescent blue and golden brown close to the rims and outlining the devices and legends. Though light handling is evident across the surfaces, there are no serious marks, and the fields retain their prooflike reflectivity. As such, the eye appeal is quite excellent and superior to most seen.<p>With the Andrew Johnson medals, the reverse design was changed again, abandoning the starkly contrasting depictions of Euro American and Native American life used on the Buchanan and Lincoln medals. In this design, the driving theme was truly Peace, and the representatives of the two cultures are presented on equal ground for the first time since the Peace and Friendship reverse was retired in 1850. This is curious as Johnsons administration oversaw major relocations of plains indigenous peoples away from white settlement and activity, including construction of the Pacific Railroad. He also directly addressed the "menacing attitude of the warlike bands" and commented that they were "instigated by real or imaginary grievances" to commit "acts of barbarous violence upon emigrants and our frontier settlements" in his third annual address to Congress. This is not language of equivalence or friendly cooperation, as depicted on these medals.<p>Of the 90 large-size Johnson medals believed struck, the present writer is aware of 19 different examples. However, one among them is of a suspicious nature and two additional restrikes have been identified. Seven of the "good ones" are in institutional holdings. This is a particularly nice medal, especially with the intact original hanger. From the Ronald A. Slovick Family Collection. Earlier from Spink & Son, August 1954; J. Douglas Ferguson, August 1965 at the Montreal CNA Convention; John J. Ford, Jr.; our (Stacks) sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part XVI, October 2006, lot 169 via Anthony Terranova.
