1865 Andrew Johnson Indian Peace Medal. Silver. First Size. Julian IP-40, Prucha-52, Musante GW-770, Baker-173X. Choice Extremely Fine. 75.5 mm. 2664.2 grains. Original integral suspension mount with loop intact, but it is loose, exposing just how easily most of these hangers (and medals) were lost. Deep, gently mottled gray toning on both sides with accents of soft blue and deep olive gold. Beautifully struck with high rims that nicely protected the surfaces, as the scattered marks are fairly minimal. <p> <p>With the Andrew Johnson medals, the reverse design was changed again, abandoning the starkly contrasting depictions of Euro American and Native American life used on the Buchanan and Lincoln medals. In this design, the driving theme was truly <em>Peace, </em>and the representatives of the two cultures are presented on equal ground for the first time since the Peace and Friendship reverse was retired in 1850. This is curious as Johnsons administration oversaw major relocations of plains indigenous peoples away from white settlement and activity, including construction of the Pacific Railroad. He also directly addressed the "menacing attitude of the warlike bands" and commented that they were "instigated by real or imaginary grievances" to commit "acts of barbarous violence upon emigrants and our frontier settlements" in his third annual address to Congress. This is not language of equivalence or friendly cooperation, as depicted on these medals. <p> <p>Of the 90 large-size Johnson medals believed struck, the present writer is aware of 19 different examples. However, one among them is of a suspicious nature and two additional restrikes have been identified. Seven of the "good ones" are in institutional holdings. This is a particularly nice medal, especially with the intact original hanger, and it has an excellent provenance, too. <em>From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from the </em><em>W.W.C. Wilson </em><em>Collection, Wayte Raymond, November 1925, lot 969; our (Bowers and Ruddys) sale of the Garrett Collection, March 1981, lot 1928.</em><em></em>
