Watch List notes:

THAILAND. Haw Campaign Silver Medal, CS 1246 (1884). Rama V. PCGS SPECIMEN-63 Gold Shield.
31 mm. Barac-21. Obverse: Bust of Rama facing left; Reverse: Two Mahouts on elephant facing left. A stunning rendition of this VERY RARE medal which displays high-relief designs, especially on the obverse, and strong reflective qualities in the fields. A few scattered hairlines in the fields determine the grade, but most are well-disguised by attractive aged tone. A real prize for the Thai medal collector!

The Haw Wars (derived from the name used for Chinese Muslims from Yunnan), occurring between 1865 and 1890, were fought against Chinese aggressors (referred to as "flag gangs") who were invading parts of Tonkin, Lao and Siamese territories. For most of the first decade, these incursions largely occurred in Tonkin (modern day northern Vietnam) and Laos. In the spring of 1875, Siamese forces ramped up their involvement, sending forces across the Mekong River, ending in the capture of a Haw base at Chiangkham. In 1883, the Haw threat was renewed, and King Chulalogkorn dispatched an army; due to the accompaniment by English surveyor James McCarthy, the encounters that ensued, largely characterized as failures, are well documented. Again in 1885, another outbreak of hostilities arose. Attempts to suppress the Haw were again foiled, with the Haw fort being too strong for the under-munitioned forces. Threats continued until the 1890s when French influence intensified in the region, ultimately leading to the Franco-Siamese War in 1893.

Estimate: $7000.00- $10000.00