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Dallas Signature US Coin Sale 1261 2-3 Nov 2017
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Indian Peace Medal
1850 MS Millard Fillmore Silver Indian Peace Medal. 76 mm. Julian IP-30. Presented to Chief Maungwudaus of the Chippewa as attested to by the hand-engraving in the left and right obverse fields: PRESENTED TO CHIEF / MAUNGWUDAUS / OCTOBER 10, 1851. Maungwudaus, also known as George Henry, was born around 1811 on the northwest shore of Lake Ontario. We were unable to find a date of death, but the last published mention of him was in 1877 when he participated in a canoe race, finishing second. He was one of eight children born to Sarah Henry and Chief Mesquacosy. Sarah was the first Mississauga woman to be baptized a Methodist. Maungwudaus and several other Indians formed a dance troupe and performed in northeast America, and then traveled to London, Paris, Dublin, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. Several members of the troupe died from smallpox while on this European trip.
The medal is silver and holed at the top for suspension, the oval loop still remains. The medal has numerous scuffs and abrasions, as one would expect for an authentic Peace Medal that was worn. It is also slightly bent. Beginning with Fillmore, Peace Medals changed the reverse from the previous PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP handshake design to the more instructive LABOR VIRTUE HONOR motif. This radical departure featured a settler pointing to an oversized U.S. flag instructing the Native American about the virtues of civilization. As Julian wryly notes: "The raging Indian wars of the past century would seem to show that not all got the message." Engraved by Salathiel Ellis (obverse) and Joseph Willson (reverse). Precise numbers are elusive of the Fillmore medal. Prucha states 119 large (76 mm) and 162 small (62 mm) were produced. Of these, 25 large and 40 small were melted for use in the Franklin Pierce medals.
HID02901242017
1850 MS Millard Fillmore Silver Indian Peace Medal. 76 mm. Julian IP-30. Presented to Chief Maungwudaus of the Chippewa as attested to by the hand-engraving in the left and right obverse fields: PRESENTED TO CHIEF / MAUNGWUDAUS / OCTOBER 10, 1851. Maungwudaus, also known as George Henry, was born around 1811 on the northwest shore of Lake Ontario. We were unable to find a date of death, but the last published mention of him was in 1877 when he participated in a canoe race, finishing second. He was one of eight children born to Sarah Henry and Chief Mesquacosy. Sarah was the first Mississauga woman to be baptized a Methodist. Maungwudaus and several other Indians formed a dance troupe and performed in northeast America, and then traveled to London, Paris, Dublin, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. Several members of the troupe died from smallpox while on this European trip.
The medal is silver and holed at the top for suspension, the oval loop still remains. The medal has numerous scuffs and abrasions, as one would expect for an authentic Peace Medal that was worn. It is also slightly bent. Beginning with Fillmore, Peace Medals changed the reverse from the previous PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP handshake design to the more instructive LABOR VIRTUE HONOR motif. This radical departure featured a settler pointing to an oversized U.S. flag instructing the Native American about the virtues of civilization. As Julian wryly notes: "The raging Indian wars of the past century would seem to show that not all got the message." Engraved by Salathiel Ellis (obverse) and Joseph Willson (reverse). Precise numbers are elusive of the Fillmore medal. Prucha states 119 large (76 mm) and 162 small (62 mm) were produced. Of these, 25 large and 40 small were melted for use in the Franklin Pierce medals.
HID02901242017