 1837 Martin Van Buren Indian Peace Medal. Silver, 50.9mm. 772.9 grains. Julian IP.19. Choice Very Fine. Medium silver gray in color with traces of pale iridescent blue around the rims. Surfaces display some tiny tics, some larger scratches on both sides, minor rim nicks. Good detail remaining, the types both quite strong and bold. Like its larger brother in the preceding lot, no serious marks requiring specific mention. Holed at the top for suspension, without loop. Very rare. Only 109 of this size were struck 1837-38. The smallest size silver Indian Peace medals tend to survive far less frequently than the largest which were generally closely held within lines of direct descent. The smallest medals were distributed to leaders of third rank or those who were believed to be at the beginning of their careers (some of which entailed a certain degree of personal hazard).
Ex David Dreyfuss Collection (Presidential Coin & Antique and Bowers & Merena, April 1986, lot 5144).
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