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MORE SKYLER LIECHTY INDIAN PEACE MEDALSStack's Bowers will be selling the Skyler Liechty Collection of Indian Peace Medals on August 31. Additional selections are discussed below. -Garrett 
Possibly Unique 1781 Tupac Amaru Revolt Rarity (ca. 1781) Tupac Amaru Revolt Medal. Silver. Medina-14. Extremely Fine. 39.8 mm. 33.79 grams. Lima (?) Mint. Plain edge. Pleasing antique silver gray with lively, attractive surfaces highlighted with old traces of pale violet and rich gold. Nicely centered and well struck on both sides. Scattered marks are seen, rims a bit knocked and bruised, but the visual appeal is excellent. A March 2006 article in Numismatics International by Alan Luedeking offers some insight on the backdrop of this medal. After the execution of Amaru in 1781, the regent at Charcas in Bolivia, Jeronimo Ruedas, wrote to Viceroy Juan Jose de Vertiz at Lima to inform him he had medals made at Potosi to recognize some of natives who remained allied and helpful to the Crown. In 1783, the surprising response to Viceroy Vertiz's report on Jeronimo Ruedas' [issuance of medals] arrived from King Charles III in Spain, who had decreed on January 28th of that year that he not only approved of Ruedas' actions but instructed Vertiz to cause additional medals in both silver and gold to be made in his name, bearing the inscription "En Premio de la Fidelidad", for the viceroy to award to those Indian chieftains and nobles who deserved it, and in accordance with their rank and merit. The viceroy immediately ordered the mints at Potosi and Lima to strike a few medals in accordance with the king's wishes." Arnaldo J. Cunietti Ferrando illustrated a different medal with the same inscription in a 1976 article on the subject, a piece that used a familiar 4 reales portrait of Carlos III on the obverse but was slightly larger than a 4 reales. Two examples of that medal are now known. In an October 2011 letter to the MCA Advisory, Fernando Chao theorized that this production must have been produced in Lima in the early 19th century, based upon Medina's inclusion of a medal with this obverse in his 1919 Medallas Coloniales Hispanoamericanas: Nuevos Materiales para su estudio. Mr. Chao did not have the benefit at that time of having seen Medina's actual specimen of that medal, which was cataloged and sold in our January 2017 NYINC sale. That piece, lot 3264, was struck from a heavily rusted obverse die that had been repolished to put into later service. The rust process on a steel die takes decades (distinct from spalling, which can appear rather instantaneously, even before the die strikes a single piece). The present medal shows no trace at all of the rust seen on that medal, strongly suggesting that this piece was struck decades earlier. Based on the die state and striking texture, this medal appears to be an original piece given to loyal Indians who fought for the Spanish during the revolt of Tupac Amaru, whose three year revolt against Spanish rule in Peru ended in 1783, two years after his own execution. If the other type with these inscription was struck at Potosi, and Medina recognized this obverse as a Lima Mint production, the conclusion is unavoidable that this is the other type authorized by the king in his decree to Viceroy Vertiz. Its extraordinary rarity and importance recommend it for inclusion in a world class cabinet. Provenance: From the Skyler Liechty Collection of Indian Peace Medals. Earlier from UBS Auction 83, September 2009, lot 3716.
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Historic 1757 Quaker Peace Medal Rarity The First American Indian Peace Medal An Awarded Silver Original 1757 Treaty of Easton or Quaker Indian Peace Medal. Silver. Betts-401. VG-8 (PCGS). 42.8 mm. 25.69 grams. After decades in the collection of Richard August, we sold this piece in our auction of March 2025, where it was described as follows: Overstruck, with the edge device of the Spanish colonial Pillar dollar or 8 reales that served as a planchet. Holed at 12 o'clock, as typical. One of the most desirable of all American medals, coined in Philadelphia in 1757 by Joseph Richardson the Elder from dies by Edward Duffield. Evenly and lovingly worn, with the lower relief reverse more worn than the high relief portrait of George II, as usually seen. The obverse portrait was copied from a contemporary coin of George II, while the reverse shares a scene with a famous Indian trade gorget made by Joseph Richardson the Elder. The hole is smooth and nicely worn, and both sides show a scattering of tiny contact marks that evince display use but not damage. A horizontal scratch is noted in the lower left obverse field, and a hint of a graffitied initial is hidden beneath the bust. The reverse legend, usually the first design element to be worn off on a well used example, is essentially complete, with only LET US of LET US LOOK TO THE MOST HIGH WHO BLESSED OUR FATHERS WITH PEACE worn away. The visual appeal is superb, blending the collector's desire for a legible specimen with the historian's love of a relic that served its intended function. The Friendly Association for Regaining and Preserving Peace with the Indians was a group of Philadelphia Quaker merchants who had far more to gain from the commercial possibilities of peaceful relationships with Pennsylvania's native Americans than from the French and Indian War. The origin story of this medal is...derived from firsthand documents left by Joseph Richardson the Younger. The senior Richardson was a high profile Philadelphia silversmith, leading Quaker, and member of the Friendly Association. Richardson was a major manufacturer of Indian trade silver, a profitable endeavor that relied on peaceful trading relationships with natives in Pennsylvania and beyond. While the Friendly Association undoubtedly used these medals to solidify existing trading relationships, many were distributed at the Treaty of Easton, signed after several years of intense conferences between local tribes and the government of Pennsylvania. Benjamin Franklin printed the official versions of minutes from the conferences of July and November 1756, July and August 1757, and October 1758. His official printed documents for 1756 and 1758 conferences include inventories of the goods brought to the treaty fire by the Quakers. While no inventory was published in 1757, and the 1758 inventory is silent about medals, the 1756 inventory includes "12 Silver Medals of King GEORGE," which begs the question: were some kind of imported English medals of generic types distributed in 1756 that proved unsatisfactory, or were these medals actually struck and distributed at the end of the year before the date on the medal?
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Important George III Large Size Shells Rarity Undated (ca. 1776-1814) George III Indian Peace Medal. Struck Silver Shells. First Size. Adams 7.1 (Obverse 1, Reverse A). AU-55 (NGC). 76.0 mm. 61.0 grams. Typical ornamental hanger and pin present at 12 o'clock, as issued. A handsome and high grade example of this largest size George III medal, struck in the far scarcer silver shells format. These medals were made by striking two thin sheets of silver, one with the obverse design and one with the reverse, then wrapping a band of silver around the rim to join them into a single, hollow production. Large, high relief medals were a challenge to strike, even with multiple blows, leading to medals like this and the similarly constructed original Thomas Jefferson Indian Peace medals. Adams recorded only 11 examples of this type struck in silver shells. We wrote in our Ford sale of these medals that "[John] Adams' research suggests that fewer than half of the largest undated George III medals were made as shells." It is possible that this labor intensive method was phased out early in favor of the easier striking process for solid medals, or that the percentage was much higher initially but that hard use destroyed more of these relatively fragile medals. In either case, they are scarce today and this is a particularly pleasing example of this historic type. Aside from the two examples in the Ford XVI sale (both of which we have resold later), we've offered just one additional George III medal of this type in shells in the last 25 years, a holed example in our April 2024 sale graded Choice Fine. Opportunities to acquire an example this nice occur roughly once in a generation. This example retains its original hanger, displays a fine deep antique gray patina with lively silver surfaces, and remains sharp and well defined. A few dents are seen, a common issue with these hollow medals made of thin sheets, including on the king's cheek, above the end of his hair tie, below the bust, and around the reverse periphery. The die state is late, with the often seen vertical die crack down the central obverse, quite similar to the die state of the shells example at the ANS depicted as the plate piece for Adams 7.1. Adams cites two examples of Adams 7.1 in his extensive census with known presentations during the Revolutionary War, noting "the sequencing of the dies can be inferred from the surviving provenances of four pieces," including examples of Adams 7.2 and 7.3 with known presentation dates during the War of 1812. This example offers exceptional condition while still being obviously worn and presented, a sweet spot for collectors of Indian Peace medals. For those who already own a solid medal, this type is distinctive enough to clear room for a second specimen of this design. Provenance: From the Skyler Liechty Collection of Indian Peace Medals. Earlier ex Warren Baker, July 1982, to the following; Heritage's sale of the Donald G. Partrick Collection, March 2021, lot 15177.
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The LaRiviere Gilt Resolution and Adventure Medal 1772 Captain Cook / Resolution and Adventure Medal. Gilt Bronze or Platina. First Reverse. Betts-552. Extremely Fine. 42.4 mm. 31.22 grams. Holed on edge for screw mount at 12 o'clock, as issued, though the screw mount is no longer present. An old friend, last cataloged by us a quarter century ago. At that time, it was the only gilt Resolution and Adventure medal we had encountered. In 2026, after seeing a couple handfuls of medals of this type, including the multi-generational holdings in the Ford Collection, we have still never seen another! The gilding is nice light yellow gold in color, worn on some high points and around some areas of the edge but almost entirely intact. Some specks and verdigris are present, not unusual on gilt bronze pieces of this era, and the gilding has left some areas of the surfaces appear a bit granular under magnification. This is most notable on the reverse between the ships in the upper field. A portion of the internal reverse rim has been abraded away before gilding, near 6 o'clock below the exergue. An old scratch is present between the king's hair and GR. BRIT, some trivial hairlines, no major marks. The eye appeal is excellent. The die state of this piece is late, with a crack between I of SAILED and A of MARCH in the reverse exergue and related spalling left of it. The die state of the present piece is essentially identical to the example we sold in August 2023 as lot 2022. While gilding a bronze medal usually suggests a special presentation purpose, the Resolution and Adventure medals made for presentation to VIPs in England were struck from a different reverse in a varieties of finishes (including bronzed copper and silver). This piece was struck from the die pair used for medals distributed to Pacific natives, in the composition used for distributed medals, and with the mount style used for distributed medals. How this came to be gilt is clearly unknown, but the gilding is of the era and has seen wear since its application. This medal was intended to be special. It remains so today. Provenance: From the Skyler Liechty Collection of Indian Peace Medals. Earlier from Superior's sale of February 1976, lot 1306; Lucien LaRiviere Collection; our (Bowers and Merena's) sale of the Cabinet of Lucien M. LaRiviere, Part II, March 2001, lot 2131.
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Spectacular High Grade ca. 1777 Lion and Wolf Medal With Provenance to an 18th Century British Officer Undated (1777) George III, Lion and Wolf Medal. Struck Solid Silver. Adams 10.2 (Obverse 1, Reverse B, In Late State). Betts-535, Jamieson Fig. 11. Choice Extremely Fine. 61.2 mm. 60.02 grams, including the ancient buff leather string around the hanger, knotted at top. Original finial-shaped hanger and pin mount at 12 o'clock. One of the most exceptional specimens of this famous type extant, never before auctioned in the United States. Devices on both sides show only whispers of friction on their highest points. The surfaces are lustrous, retaining some of the original freshness of the surfaces despite a trivial (and utterly typical) polishing long ago. Bright splashes of pastel blue and muted gold are seen across the obverse and around the reverse, contrasting with the light silver gray surfaces and deeper antique toning across both sides. Scattered minor contact marks are seen, suggesting this medal was actually worn and displayed as intended. A short scratch is seen above and below the obverse legend at RG of GEORGIUS, single pit or mark at the right outline of the building right of the church on the reverse, scattered inherent granularity is seen around the top of obverse and reverse near the mount, somewhat more muted planchet texture visible across the expanse of the reverse field where it was not fully struck out. The rim is intact and clear of damage. A little hint of jeweler's rouge is seen in some protected areas like within the fur of the lion, harming nothing. The overall eye appeal is breathtakingly positive, and this medal's extraordinary condition suggests how majestic these medals must have looked when brand new. This piece was worn and used as intended, but surely not for very long. The Adams Census included 19 Lion and Wolf medals, though Michael Hodder commented in Ford XVI that Adams' #17 had been "misrepresented by Mr. Ford and does not exist." To that figure of 18 we may add at least three pieces: the second example in the 2020 Ness sale, this lot, and the third-known example struck in silver shells from our November 2024 sale (at $60,000). At least 10 of these are in institutional collections. When offered by Baldwin's in 2024, this piece was sold with a provenance built from a family belief that this piece descended from an ancestor who served as a British officer in America. While the precise details of their provenance conclusions are not borne out by more dutiful research (there were no officers named Tudor or Risk who served in America between 1775 and 1783, based upon the most up to date and correct sources), that doesn't mean that the kernel of the family tradition is incorrect. Indeed, if these medals were in fact distributed about 1777, as all sources suggest, it would have been nearly impossible for this medal to have remained so well preserved had it stayed in use (or even on this continent) after the war. So while the finer points may be unknown, this medal is almost certainly a Revolutionary War-era bring-home that spent most of its life cherished as a souvenir of that conflict. The state of preservation of this piece is positively top shelf, and we've seen only one finer: the remarkable Ford-Margolis specimen that brought $72,000 in our March 2024 as a PCGS AU-55. Between the natural propensity of the reverse to receive wear and the cracked die state that serves to obliterate central detail on many specimens, it is challenging to find an example of this type that showcases the splendid and intricate reverse devices. This example's superlative condition makes it the sort of medal a connoisseur builds a cabinet around. Provenance: From the Skyler Liechty Collection of Indian Peace Medals. Earlier ex an unknown Revolutionary War-era British officer; family descent; Baldwin's Auction 118, October 2024, lot 670.
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High Grade 1814 George III Indian Peace Medal Second Size 1814 George III Indian Peace Medal. Silver. Second Size. Adams 13.1. (Obverse 1, Reverse A). Extremely Fine. 60.4 mm. 74.15 grams. Holed as issued, with a small silver jump ring. An exceptionally nice survivor of this elusive issue, showing deep blue, rose, and violet highlights over glossy gray surfaces. The reverse still retains some luster and natural reflectivity. The obverse has been polished during its useful life, long before it was a collectible, but has long since toned over. Scattered marks and hairlines are seen, none particularly serious, though we note a few rim abrasions on the obverse left of 12 o'clock and elsewhere. The overall visual appeal is excellent. Adams enumerated just 17 specimens of this scarce medal known to him on his modern census. Three of those were in our October 2006 Ford sale. We've offered only four other discrete specimens since then. The last, a particularly beautiful example we graded Choice AU, brought $14,400 in our sale of August 2024. When sold at Hindman Auctions in 2023, this medal was associated with the lot that followed in that auction - and in this one - namely, a set of two silver armbands and a gorget that was owned by Ojibwa Chief John Aisance. The description stated that "Although this medal was not acquired from the descendants of Chief John Aisance, it has been documented that he 'possessed a military medal'." While true, this medal was not associated with the armbands and gorget until after those items were sold from the collection of Robert Deveaux Woodruff Band by Jeffrey Hoare Auctions in 2015. It appears unlikely that they have shared a provenance at any point before that auction. This piece was included in Sovereignty Gifts by Alan L. Hoover, former curator and manager at the Royal British Columbia Museum, and Ted Brasser, former curator at the National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, The Netherlands and at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau (now Canadian Museum of History), published by Canadian antiquarian Howard Roloff of British Columbia in 2020. Provenance: From the Skyler Liechty Collection of Indian Peace Medals. Earlier from Hindman Auctions' Sale 1133, April 2023, lot 2.
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Attractive Large Size 1860 Indian Chiefs Medal For the Visit of the Prince of Wales 1860 Queen Victoria / Prince of Wales Indian Chiefs Medal. Silver. First Size. Jamieson-33, Breton-27, BHM-1975. Choice Extremely Fine. 75.7 mm. 152.56 grams. Original hanger and pin present, hanger lightly bent. Struck in 1840, later engraved with the insignia of the Prince of Wales in the left obverse field and the date 1860 in the right to commemorate the visit of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later known as King Edward VII) to Canada that year. The surfaces are toned a deep and elegant shade of antique gray, even and glossy in appearance, with a smoothness in the fields that suggests the reflectivity this piece had when Mint State. The wear is trivial, and no marks are individually notable. A thin hairline extends behind Victoria's head beneath her bun, a scattering of inconsequential nicks are seen around the rims and a few in the fields, nothing significant. The aesthetic appeal is just as it should be for a medal of this purpose and condition. This is a lovely piece. On September 13, 1860, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, arrived by the Grand Trunk Railway from London, Ontario to the railroad's western terminus at Sarnia, Ontario. Sitting near the mouth of the St. Clair River as it dumps into Lake Huron, Sarnia sits directly across the St. Clair from Port Huron, Michigan at the knuckle of Michigan's thumb. The arrival of the Prince of Wales was an occasion of enormous import for the locale, not least of which for the gathering of native chiefs which had begun a few days before the Prince's arrival. Estimates suggest about 80 Indian chiefs were among the crowd of 5000 that greeted him at Sarnia, and that each received a medal like this one of a size befitting their rank. These medals are rare today. We've had just one in the last 20 years since the Ford sales, an example in our 2020 Larry Ness auction. Ford had four of these, likely representing the lion's share of those he encountered. Mike Hodder cited specimens sold in the November 2001 and November 1990 (Chris Schenkel) Bowers and Merena sales. The Schenkel piece reappeared in the 2021 Partrick sale. The roster of examples sold in the last 40 years is quite short, and this one stands out for its quality, easily surpassing all the Ford medals, the Schenkel medal, and the Ness medal. This example was sold in 2017 from the archives of the Nicolet Seminary, a Catholic school in Quebec founded in 1801 that last hosted students in 1969. Its unpolished patina and excellent eye appeal owe much to its long-term care in that collection. Provenance: From the Skyler Liechty Collection of Indian Peace Medals. Earlier ex Nicolet Seminary Collection; Enchères Champagne Auctions, May 2017, lot 55; Geoffrey Bell Collection; Geoffrey Bell Auctions' Fall Sale 2024, October, lot 429.
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Exemplary James Madison Indian Peace Medal Large Size 1809 James Madison Indian Peace Medal. Silver. First Size. Julian IP-5, Prucha-40. Choice Very Fine. 75.5 mm, 4.0 mm to 4.2 mm thick. 171.99 grams. Last sold in our 2015 Americana sale, where we described this medal as follows: Holed at 12 o'clock. A beautiful specimen of this early U.S. Mint Indian Peace medal, the first solid construction silver medal in the Indian Peace medal series and the inheritor of the legacy begun by the legendary peace medals of Thomas Jefferson. The surfaces show an attractive and mostly even tone of dark charcoal gray, somewhat glossy with the usual smattering of fine contact marks. The hole shows honest wear, and the rims reflect years of display, with a variety of fine marks but no heavy bruises. A short scratch is present above N of MADISON, some light surface verdigris or scale at central reverse. The overall eye appeal is original and choice, looking just as an awarded Peace medal from two centuries ago should look. Large size Madison medals are very scarce, and few can match the fine historic appeal of this one. It's been more than a decade since that sale, and we've offered just four examples of this largest Madison medal type since then. Most recently, a nice VF example brought $33,600 in our sale of November 2025. A similar medal brought $36,000 in our March 2024 Ronald Slovick Collection sale. The Ford XVI:112 medal resold in June 2023 at $32,400. The Ness specimen, with some old field graffiti tooled away, brought $20,400 in November 2020. This piece is of similar quality to three of the four sold in our sales since 2015. Its fine old provenance and superb originality recommend it for inclusion in an advanced and thoughtfully assembled cabinet of these historic medals. Provenance: From the Skyler Liechty Collection of Indian Peace Medals. Earlier ex Carnegie Book Shop (David Kirschenbaum), September 1966; John J. Ford, Jr.; our (Stack's) sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part XVIII, May 2007, lot 66; our Americana Sale of February 2015, lot 24.
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