Watch List notes:

UNITED STATES: AR medal (235.6g), 1976, Betts-615 (for original), Gem Unc, 77mm silver Libertas Americana medal by A. Dupré, 1976 Paris Mint restrike in silver, bust of Liberty left, with pole and Liberty cap behind with LIBERTAS AMERICANA. around and "4 JUIL. 1976." in exergue // Hercules as a child fighting with two snakes, with Minerva holding off lion with Fleur-de-Lis shield, with NON SINE DIIS ANINOSUS INFANS. around and "4 JUIL. 1776." in exergue, matte finish, "COPY OF DESIGN BY BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: ORIGINALS STRUCK IN 1783. S.I.C.M. M. PARIS - FRANCE - GO. No 0399. ARGENT" with cornucopia privy mark on edge, in original plush blue case. The childlike Hercules on the back embodies the young American Union of 13 colonies, which fights its enemies under the protection of France (= Minerva with a lily shield). The lion stands for Great Britain; the retracted tail identifies him as a coward. The two snakes Hercules wrestles with represent the battles of Saratoga (1777) and Yorktown (1781), noted by dates in the exergue on the original pieces. Benjamin Franklin conceived this medal and arranged for it to be produced, of which originally 300 pieces were minted in bronze, 55 pieces in silver and also two pieces in gold - for Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. His correspondence shows that the production of the dies was completed in March 1782. A few letters have survived from the spring of 1783 relating to Franklin's donation of the medals to various dignitaries. The medals were probably made in the course of 1782 or early 1783.

Estimate: 400-600 USD