Indian Peace Medals
Historic “Abraham Lincoln” Indian Peace Medal Very Rare Second Size of 62mm & Having A Baseball Game Vignette! In “100 Greatest American Tokens & Medals” Number 57
1862-Dated. Abraham Lincoln Indian Peace Medal. Second Size. 62mm. Struck the United States Mint at Philadelphia in Bronze. Original Dies. Mint State.
Julian IP-39. Rare Second Size. 62mm. Struck at the United States Mint using Original Dies engraved by Salathiel Ellis and Joseph Willson. This historic design of the Abraham Lincoln Indian Peace Medal is listed as Number 57 in the popular reference book entitled, “100 Greatest American Tokens & Medals” and also as Number 27 in F.P. Prucha’s reference, “Indian Peace Medals in American History” (1971). The Obverse design shows the Bust Portrait of a bearded President Abraham Lincoln in his coat.

The Reverse is quite important and exceptional, in that it includes both a Native American Indian “Scalping” scene and other vignettes, surrounding the central vignette of an Indian Chief in his feathered headdress plowing a field, while a (Civil War Era) “Baseball Game” is being played and in progress behind him! In addition, there are additional images of a Church and Ships in the background. Other than a few light obverse hairlines in the fields and a few very light faint scrapes in the central reverse upper field, this medal has a gorgeous rich natural appearance.

This premium quality example has mahogany-bronze color, with glossy smooth surfaces and high rims. Easily one of the finest examples we’ve ever offered of this very rare size and popular Indian Peace medal. A similar medal sold in the Stack’s Rich Ulrich Collection, February 26, 2008, Lot 3588, graded About Uncirculated, which sold for $1,840 (showing actual wear), the last example we sold was in the EAHA Auction of August 23, 2008, graded Mint State-62, which sold for $2,360. This current medal is superior in quality and overall eye appeal and offered in a stronger collector market.
Peace Medals were instrumental in building relationships with the various Indian Tribes. The recipients valued them highly, for they conferred a prestige that was recognized throughout the nation. The Bureau of Indian Affairs considered them crucial and the Presidents for whom they were issued also knew their importance.

Many images from the “Old West” show Indians proudly wearing their Peace Medals (sometimes more than one). Generally, bronze medals were not used for presentation purposes, but in some cases, they were silver-plated and either given, sold, or traded away by unscrupulous individuals to unwitting recipients. Peace medals relating to Abraham Lincoln were, and are, among the most popular of all.