1865 Andrew Johnson Indian Peace Medal. Bronze. First Size. Julian IP-40, Prucha-52, Musante GW-770, Baker-173X, var. (unlisted in Bronze). MS-63 BN (NGC). 75.9 mm. 3795.3 grains. Light reddish orange bronze with slightly darker patina on the reliefs. Mildly reflective fields with some minor handling marks but no serious flaws aside from one gentle reverse rim bump that is not immediately noticeable.<p>For an unspecified reason, a redesign of the medals was already being cut into steel at the beginning of Lincolns second term. Upon his death, it was decided that the new partially completed Lincoln obverses should be abandoned in favor of new ones featuring Andrew Johnson. The reverse dies were close to completion by this time, so it is clear that the Lincoln administration sought the reverse design change, apparently being dissatisfied with the derogatory reverse design used for the Buchanan and Lincoln medals. From the Ronald A. Slovick Family Collection. Earlier from Johnson and Jensens sale of August 1982, lot 888.
