Indian Peace Medals
(1885) Oval Grover Cleveland Indian Peace Medal Original Strike One of Only 30 Struck Bronzed NGC Mint State-61
(1885) Oval Format Grover Cleveland Indian Peace Medal, Original First Strike, Struck at the United States Mint in Bronzed-Copper, One of Only 30 Struck in Bronzed-Copper, Julian IP-46. Belden-61. NGC graded Mint State-61 Brown.
Julian IP-46. Belden-61. 76 mm x 60 mm (7 mm thick). 2561 gns. Beginning in 1877, United States Presidential Indian Peace Medals were made in an Oval format and made thicker than previously. The dies for the Grover Cleveland Indian Peace Medal were engraved by Charles Barber and George Morgan, both known for their coinage designs. This medal is actually bronzed-copper. Traces of the lighter colored copper can be seen at the rim edge.
According to Julian's "Medals of the United States Mint," only 55 examples of this Oval medal were struck from 1885 through 1904. Richard Hartzog's supplement to Julian's book could only trace 2 sales of this medal during the previous 100 years. This example is in Mint State condition exhibiting some obverse subdued luster as shown while the reverse exhibits attractive near perfect Gem quality.
This extremely rare Indian Peace Medal is one of the last to be made by the United States Mint with Only 30 examples were made being First Struck in Copper-bronzed. Only 10 were struck in Silver. John Ford, Jr. owned only one example, which sold in Stack's Ford XVIII sale in May 2007 for $3,967.50. Stack's sold another example, described as Very Fine with "small nicks on both sides," in their January 12, 2009 Americana Sale for $4,025. This current medal is vastly superior to VF, being NGC certified Mint State-61.