1849 Zachary Taylor Indian Peace Medal. Silver. Third Size. Julian IP-29, Prucha-47. Very Choice Very Fine. 51.0 mm. 997.2 grains. Pierced for suspension as typical. Mostly deep steel gray patina with soft blue and gold overtones. Some subtle spotting in the obverse patina, mostly toward the left and top, around the portrait. Hairlines and abrasions through the fields and some natural deposits in the recesses. <p> <p>This is one of a virtual matched set that appeared in Ford XVI. The other, lot 145 in that sale, appeared in our March 2021 sale and the nature of both of these was discussed in detail, as reproduced here: <p> <p>"It was determined in 1846 that the long-utilized Peace and Friendship reverse die was no longer of sufficient quality to produce more medals, and new reverse dies for all three sizes were prepared for the issued Zachary Taylor medals struck in late 1849 and early 1850. However, this medal was struck using the original pre-1846 die, now in the later of two [actually three] observed die states. It is easy to spot, with two die chips inside the right reverse rim. It is one of a series of such later products that includes medals featuring most of the presidents beginning with John Quincy Adams and ending with this issue. Based on close study of silver and bronze medals of Taylor struck from the two different reverses, the writer believes that these "First Reverse" Taylor medals were struck after those struck using the new dies intended for the original issued medals."<p> <p>Whatever the true story of these late-state medals, they generally do show evidence of having been worn, yet it is unclear if those wear patterns are applied or natural. It often much less aggressive, being more <em>worn </em>than <em>nicked, </em>when compared with the wear seen on certainly issued medals. As for the Taylor medals in general, all small-size issues in silver are very rare. Your cataloger has documented six silver Taylor medals of this size, divided equally between the two die states. Only two originals are known in private hands, so completion of a set would likely require one of these for most collectors. <em>From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from the </em><em>F.C.C. Boyd Estate; </em><em>John J. Ford, Jr.; our (Stacks) sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part XVI, October 2006, lot 144.</em><em></em>
