1837 Martin Van Buren Indian Peace Medal. Copper, Bronzed. Third Size. First Reverse. Julian IP-19. Prucha-44. MS-64 BN (NGC). 51.1 mm. 966.1 grains. Very attractive deep mahogany bronze surfaces with gentle mellowing of the patina on the highest points of Van Buren’s shoulder and of the clasped hands on the reverse. Pleasing satiny luster. Aside from some superficial surface deposits in the protected areas, there are no imperfections worthy of mention. Struck from the original dies with the reverse in the early die state with just a single chip in the rim at 3:00.This is another underappreciated rarity among the bronze impressions of this series. Carl Carlson found only five auction records for bronze Van Burens of this size, half of what he recorded for both the large and medium-sized medals. In the last decade, we have only handled two examples, including this one. Both medals are from the first reverse die, but this is by far the nicest of the two and carries a desirable provenance as well. The Ford Collection contained another example, but it had been lacquered. The Heritage archives include two specimens, both lower grade and one group-lotted. The present specimen is likely one of the finest of very few known. Ex David W. Dreyfuss, Bowers and Merena, April 1986, lot 5145; Presidential Coin and Antique, December 1990, lot 49; Stacks Bowers Galleries, January 2012, lot 6059; Stack’s Bowers Galleries, March 2017, lot 38.