Indian Peace Medals
Millard Fillmore Largest Size Bronze Indian Peace Medal Native American Indian Chief in front of an American Flag
1850 Millard Fillmore Indian Peace Medal. 76 mm. Original First & Largest Size, Struck in Bronze, Julian IP-30, Belden-46, Gem Mint State.
76 mm. Julian IP-30. Official 1850 dated Millard Fillmore Indian Peace Medal that has uniform medium chestnut-brown color with somewhat glossy smooth surfaces. It was struck for the United States using an engraved Obverse die by Salathiel Ellis and has a Reverse die created by Joseph Willson. These dies themselves were not produced in the U.S. Mint, but rather were prepared by Willson under contract. Willson retained the dies until 1855, when the obverse die was secured directly by the U.S. Mint. Apparently, in later years the U.S. Mint produced a replacement die for the reverse.
The Obverse features a Bust right Portrait of Fillmore; the Reverse shows a White American Army Officer conversing with a Native American Indian Chief in front of a large flowing American Flag with a plow and axe between them. A similar example of this medal sold for $1,062 in our EAHA Auction of August 2006 Lot 1103; another offered March 17, 2017 Lot 279 graded Choice Mint State sold for $1,500. This specimen is a lovely Gem Uncirculated with just one tiny tick on the shoulder and with high perfect rims and shows faint underlying reddish tones.