1779 (1845-1860) Captain John Paul Jones / Bonhomme Richard vs. Serapis Naval Medal. Paris Mint Restrike from Original Dies. Bronze. 56 mm. Betts-568, Julian NA-1, Adams-Bentley 8. MS-66 BN (NGC).Outstanding Gem Mint State quality for this classic Comitia Americana and naval medal type. Both sides are fully struck with razor sharp detail to even the highest design elements. Richly toned reddish-copper surfaces are overall satiny in texture, yet with modest semi-reflective qualities evident in the fields at direct viewing angles. Free of even a single mentionable blemish, this pristine-looking beauty will please even the most discerning collector. Marked on the edge with a pointing hand and CUIVRE, the Paris Mint mark that attributes this piece to the 1845 to 1860 striking period, though it was struck from the original dies executed by the skilled Augustin Dupre.Arguably the most popular of the early American naval medals, Adams-Bentley 8 was produced to commemorate the tactical victory of a Franco-American naval squadron under the command of Continental Navy Captain John Paul Jones over two British warships protecting a merchant convoy on September 23, 1779. Known to history as the Battle of Flamborough Head, the battle took place in the North Sea off the coast of Yorkshire and is widely regarded as one of the most significant naval engagements of the Revolutionary War by the Americans. During the engagement, Jones ship Bonhomme Richard forced the surrender of the British HMS Serapis under the command of Captain Sir Richard Pearson in close combat.
