Watch List notes:

USA, "Libertas Americana" medal (1783), 1976 Paris Mint restrike in silver, ex-LaRiviere. Betts-615 (for original). 238 grams, 75mm, the case 4-3/4". No American medal is more famous than the "Libertas Americana" medal, conceptualized by Benjamin Franklin himself and struck on the eve of the cease-fire proclaimed by the US Congress on April 11, 1783, with a flowing-hair head of Liberty and Phrygian cap below LIBERTAS AMERICANA on obverse and Minerva and infant Hercules strangling snakes and fending off a lion below legend NON SINE DIIS ANIMOSUS INFANS ("the child is not courageous without divine aid") on reverse. Genuine specimens fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars today. For those who cannot afford a real one there are several restrikes and copies, like this one made at the Paris Mint in 1976 to celebrate American-French relations on the occasion of the US Bicentennial. The edge of this piece states COPY OF DESIGN BY BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: ORIGINAL STRUCK IN 1783: S.I.C.M.M. PARIS - FRANCE - GO No 0160, as it was #160 of 500 made (most of which were probably melted down in subsequent years). Mint State with matte surfaces, as made, desirable pedigree. Pedigreed to the Lucien M. LaRiviere collection (Bowers & Merena May 2001), lot 1115, with original tag and packaging.

Estimate: $200