| Description |
Alan V. Weinberg comments: 1792. Silver, hand engraved. 1792 hand-engraved oval George Washington Indian Peace medal. 82 mm x 130 mm (including integral suspension loop) x a trifle over 2 mm thin. Smallest size of the 3 genuine ovals known. Acquired June 2014 Long Beach coin show. Displayed for offers by a dealer /agent representing a non-numismatic estate that had owned it since 1988. Several knowledgable IPM collector/dealers, including me, initially passed it by in the first few hours during set-up day thinking it was 1 of the usually seen cast fakes at a passing glance thru bourse case glass, not even taking it out. Since the estate agent insisted it was genuine, I reluctantly agreed to examining it in hand. Within 3-5 miutes, I thought "hmmm". Within 10 minutes I was flabbergasted - it appeared genuine. I studied it for 1 hour with a 10x glass & a Belden IPM book the agent had - the longest time I've ever examined anything in contemplation of acquiring it. I was certain it was genuine. Dark original patina, age-old burial accretions, proper single plate construction, separate thin fold-over rim, proper suspension construction, very thin planchet, good quality hand-engraving. The John J. Ford Jr. Stack's catalogue Sale II in 2004 lot 190 was the only other small size oval known in private hands- it sold for $240K "hammer" to DGP on Long Island. Ford's only genuine oval IPM. This medal I acquired is a new discovery. I never thought I'd own it - one of the very few really rare numismatic items I call "opportunity only" situations. Images courtesy of Izaak McKenzie of Utah. |
