1877 Rutherford B. Hays Indian Peace Medal. Silver. 75.1 mm (without the hanger) x 58.5 mm, oval. 2948.4 grains. Julian IP-43, Prucha-54. Genuine (NGC).Choice Extremely Fine, or perhaps a bit better. Integral suspension loop, as made. Medium to light steel gray with some slightly deeper patina in the recesses that help to accentuate the visual impact of the motifs. Slightly granular upon close inspection with some very faint old abrasions, fine scratches and tiny nicks visible under magnification that are not seen detectable at all otherwise. A few scattered toning spots on the obverse are similar to those seen on a silver Garfield we sold in our 2011 New York Americana Sale. That piece is referenced here for more than one reason, as these two seem to share a common genesis. They are part of group of four similar medals that were revealed in the Dr. William C. Bridge Collection when it appeared for sale in 1991 (World Exonumia Sale #9). These were previously unknown medals, apparently struck at the same time for a collector (Bridge?) and kept together for a long period of time. According to the catalog, Bridge gifted his collection of Indian Peace medals to a young collector in Elgin, Illinois around 1908, which provides some sense of the time frame of manufacture. In the sale catalog, it I was noted that John J. Ford, Jr. had examined these medals and thought they were probably struck circa 1890-1895.When the collection appeared for sale in 1991, the four related medals included were as follows (with the exception of the present medal, all weights in grains are calculated from those reported in grams for ease of comparison):1 - Rutherford B. Hayes. IP-43. 2948.4 grains. With Integral Suspension Loop. Lot 1069.2 - James A. Garfield. IP-44. 3001 grains. With Integral Suspension Loop. Lot 1071. (Stacks, Jan. 2011:6245)3 - Chester A. Arthur. IP-45. 3034 grains. With Integral Suspension Loop. Lot 1072.4 - Benjamin Harrison (Oval). IP-47. 2990 grains. With Integral Suspension Loop. Lot 1074.These are all restrikes of very rare medals. This one offered here is unknown as a silver original, though the die used for the reverse is the 1877-dated one used to strike the original medals in bronze. This specimen is believed unique. The Garfield oval is one of the greatest silver rarities of the series. The Ford specimen of the Chester Arthur original in silver was cataloged as one of just two known, while the oval Harrison is unreported in silver, except for the Bridge Collection restrike. As noted above, these medals share the characteristic of the distinctive integral loop at 12 oclock, and similar toning.Considering the extreme rarity of these issues in silver, and the overall great desirability of the various Indian Peace medals in silver, such silver restrikes have been well received by collectors. The Bridge Collection Garfield from this series brought $12,650 in our January 2011 sale, which is quite notable for a silver piece that was not struck for presentation to Native Americans.From the Dr. William C. Bridge Collection, circa 1908; unnamed collector; World Exonumia Sale #9, 1991, lot 1069; Anthony Terranova; unknown intermediaries; the present consignor.
