Historical
and Commemorative Medals
Collection of Benjamin Weiss
GEORGE WASHINGTON
INDIAN PEACE MEDAL (REPLICA)
?? :USA, 1793?, Silver, 61x85 mm This medal is a replica of the George Washington Indian
Peace Medals seen in Prucha, Belden and Loubat, with the overall design
appearing to be a composite taken from one or more of those medals. It is
perhaps most like that seen in Loubat (113/18; plates XVIII and XIX), but
this medal is considerably smaller. The suspension loop is similar to that
of the 1793 Washington Peace Medals shown in Prucha (85/32) and number 7B,
plate 8 in Belden. The engraving in the medal in Loubat (113/18) is thought
to be that of Red Jacket, the celebrated Seneca orator and chief Sa-go-ya-wat-ha
(He that keeps them awake). The medal was given to him in
Philadelphia by President Washington in 1792. General Ely S. Parker, who
served on the staff of General U.S. Grant during the Civil War states that
the Red Jacket medal was made by Dr. Rittenhouse, who was the director of
the United States Mint at Philadelphia during that time, and that these
medals were made in three sizes during the administrations of President
Jefferson to President Fillmore. Since then they have been made of two sizes
only (Loubat). The design of the current medal is incuse, either stamped
or engraved directly onto an oval, silver planchet. If its design were
carved directly onto the planchet, the piece may be considered to be unique,
although there may be other similar copies in extant. Silver medals, designed for presentation to Indian Chiefs
and warriors, played an important part in American Indian policy. Known as
Indian peace medals, these tokens of friendship and symbols of allegiance
belong to not only the history of Indian-White relations in the US but to
our artistic heritage as well. The government took great care to see that
the medals were of high merit. Among the Indians the medals were cherished
possessions, to be buried with the chiefs or passed down from generation to
generation. George Washington's administration was a crucial period in
American relations with the Indians, who for the most part had taken sides
with the British during the Revolutionary War. The new nation needed to
conciliate them if it was to start its existence in peace. Washington and
his secretary of War, Henry Knox, used every means possible to attain this
goal and soon they realized that silver peace medals were a necessary
instrument in their policy. (From Prucha, F. P., Indian Peace Medals in
American History). LINK to images of Indian Peace Medals (from Numismatics.org) LINK to the American Revolution (from The History Place) LINK to Medallic History of Slavery: Racial Oppression as Chronicled by Historical and Commemorative Medals (by Benjamin Weiss) |
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