Excerpt from Chapter One

Greetings from Kings, Queens, Quakers, Companies, and Presidents

Before the silver dollar, before the US Mint was built, before there was any US coinage-based commerce in the part of the New World we now call the United States of America, there was the Indian Peace Medal, metal tributes presented to Indian chiefs by governments as a show of friendship and peace. The Indian Peace Medal was not only the first numismatic event in our nation, it is one whose impact continues to be felt in modern medal minting practices, and as we shall see, in the political relations between the sovereign tribes and Washington D.C.

These medals have had an impressive impact on more aspects of American life than many people know. They were an integral part of westward expansion, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Indian policy, trade practices, presidential politics, numismatic legislation, and even early foreign policy. Indian Peace Medals inspired Inauguration medals for presidents and governors, many different American Indian theme coins and paper money, and lasting symbols such as the Great Seal of the State of Oklahoma. What's more, the familiar elements of Indian Peace Medals have influenced peace and friendship medal and coin design the world over.

Indian Peace Medals: Categories of Purpose

There are seven basic purposes behind Indian Peace Medals, with each presentation encompassing one or more of these:

symbolic (a promise of peace, friendship, respect, or gratitude),
pro-active (seeking to prevent conflict),
reactive (trying to stop conflict that had already begun),
political (to create a chief, to intimidate one, or to gain a political alliance)
economic (to gain passage, trapping, mining, or trading rights in an area),
commemorative (of treaty, date, person, thing, or event),
fulfillment (due to a request by tribes for replacement or additional medals).

Over time, between the early 1800's and the early 1900's, the main purposes of the medals evolved from mostly pro-active, reactive, political and economic to primarily symbolic, fulfillment and commemorative…..

What’s old is new again: On the right is a 19^th century dark bronze US Mint restrike of an early Presidential Indian Peace Medal made with the original reverse die. On the left are the 2004 Lewis and Clark Commemorative Dollar (designed by US Mint sculptor-engraver Donna Weaver) and the 2004 Peace medal nickel (by Norman E. Nemeth), also made by the US Mint. Both coins were an immediate success and a sell-out.

Excerpt from Chapter Two

The seven types of Medals in the Indian Peace Medal family are:

I. Medals presented to chiefs and Indians by European or US government representatives prior to or during 1893.

II. Medals presented to chiefs and Indians by companies or other individuals prior to or during 1893.

III. Modern Indian Peace Medals made after 1893, when Presidential Indian Peace Medals ceased production and the Indian Wars were over.

IV. Turnabout Indian Peace Medals, given or made by the tribes instead of to the tribes.

V. Indian Peace Medal “siblings,” U.S. Presidential Inauguration Medals.

VI. Official re-strikes of Indian Peace Medals made by the US Mint.

VII. Other types of re-strikes, copies and replicas.

In addition to these categories, chapters 6 and 7 offer information about closely related coins, medals and tokens that are highly collectible. These include the Indian Wars Medal, Indian-theme US coins, medals, Civil War tokens, and more items in the Indian numismatics family. History and tradition unite these collectibles in fascinating ways.

Revised Edition Front cover: From upper left moving clockwise: Well-worn small bronze Madison Indian Peace Medal restrike on modern hand-made bone bead chief’s necklace, small bronze Indian Peace Medal replica on blue ribbon from the National Museum of the American Indian, Modern African Peace Medal equivalent in the form of a small silver Rhodesian President’s Medal for Chiefs on original green ribbon, large silver Osage Turnabout Indian Peace Medal, vintage postcard portrait by F. A. Rinehart of Cheyenne Chief Wolf Robe wearing a Harrison Indian Peace medal (used with permission from the Collections of the Omaha Public Library), USPS 2004 Lewis and Clark stamp, privately colorized 2004 US Peace medal nickel, large bronze oval Arthur Indian Peace Medal restrike from the US Mint, and privately made white metal 2.5” Jefferson Indian Peace medal replica with loop.

Excerpt from Chapter Three

Exceptional Modern Type III Indian Peace Medal Examples: Canada, United States of America, and Africa

The medallic likenesses of monarchs and presidents are no longer distributed to Indian chiefs, or are they?

In reality, the practice of presenting peace and friendship medals has not faded into history forever. The exceptional Type III examples in this chapter hail from Manitoba and Calgary, Canada, the continent of Africa, Washington D.C. and Cheyenne, Oklahoma, USA.

Whereas the other examples from Type III described in Chapter Two are also authentic modern Indian Peace Medals made after 1893, they were privately minted and presented to local Indian leaders by Fort caretakers and private enterprises, not by government representatives and leaders.

The amazing examples described here are modern-day Type III silver and bronze Indian Peace Medals that were government made and presented to Indian chiefs in official ceremonies. Further, in each case except Africa, they made history by being distributed in person by the Queen of England, the Crown Prince, a US Congressman and the President of the United States of America!

Excerpt from Chapter 4

Is My Indian Peace Medal a Fake?

Authentic Indian Peace Medals from the first two categories described in Chapter 2 are very rare and will have a verifiable pedigree (history of ownership or authentication). Restrikes or copies are highly collectible but are not Type I or II Indian Peace Medals. A counterfeit is a copy that is made not to sell as a copy but to be passed off as a genuine Indian Peace Medal. Many clever Indian Peace Medal counterfeits are floating around waiting to sting you.

Authentication Tips:

Look for worn spots and wear as these medals were worn proudly about the neck by their owners, or for a holder, evidence of a holder, or hole for stringing.
Early Washington Indian Peace Medals are always hand-made of silver, other round and oval Type I medals will be silver in the three inch size at least. Later medals can be silver in several sizes. Smaller medals made of copper and other non-precious metal were reserved for lesser chiefs. (R.W. Julian says that copper medals were presented very rarely, under Arthur and Cleveland. In general, a medal that is not silver should be assumed to be a fake, without proof to the contrary.)
Look for signs of artificial aging such as overheating the medal to darken it, using paint to create an antique patina, intentional wear, or rubbing dirt or grease into the surface.
An electrotype will make a different type of sound than the sound made by a genuine Mint medal, when tapped on the edge by a metal object. An expert can perform this “ring” test for you.
Most importantly, since authentic Indian Peace Medals are so rare, and since there are so many clever counterfeits, buyer should always require at least one of three types of certification described below before spending a substantial sum.

Indian Peace Medals and Related Items

Table of Contents

Table of Figures

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Preface

A Word About Terminology

Chapter One: Greetings from Kings, Queens, Quakers, Companies, and Presidents

Chapter Two: Classifying Indian Peace Medals: Seven Different Types to Collect

Chapter Three: Exceptional Modern Type III Indian Peace Medal Examples: Canada, United States of America, and Africa

Chapter Four: Is My Indian Peace Medal a Fake?

Chapter Five: Collecting Peace and Friendship Symbols

Chapter Six: Polar Opposite: The Indian Wars Medal

Chapter Seven: Notes, Coins and Medals with Indian Themes

Chapter Eight: Building and Caring for a Collection of Indian Peace Medals and Related Collectibles

Summary

Glossary: Terms Collectors Should Know

About the Author

Index

Price List

Endnotes

Table of Figures

Figure 1. Two Similar Old World Medals, But Only One Indian Peace Medal.

Figure 2: 1817 President Monroe Indian Peace Medal Restrike With Case

Figure 3. “Silver” Jefferson Indian Peace Medal 1801-2004.

Figure 4. US Mint Bronze Restrike of a Jefferson Indian Peace Medal.

Figure 5. Copy of Type I Washington Silver Indian Peace Medal.

Figure 6. The 1757 Quaker Indian Peace Medal.

Figure 7. Examples of Medal Reverses From Type III, Made After 1893.

Figure 8. Examples of Medal Obverses from Type III, Made After 1893.

Figure 9. Examples of Medals from Type IV Turnabout Indian Peace Medals.

Figure 10. Silver Tribal Series Turnabouts.

Figure 11: Indian Themes but Not Turnabouts.

Figure 12. Type IV Bronze Canadian Centennial Turnabout.

Figure 13: On Display in the Vatican Museum.

Figure 14: Heaviest Indian Peace Medals of All.

Figure 15. Examples from Type V, US Mint Presidential Inauguration Medals.

Figure 16. 1895 Argentina, Original Presidential Inaugural Medal.

Figure 17. Examples of Medal Obverses from Type VI, US Mint Indian Peace Medal Restrikes.

Figure 18. Examples of Medal Reverses from Type VI.

Figure 19: The US Mint 2004 Peace Medal Dollar and Nickel Coins.

Figure 20: Facelift for the Nickel.

Figure 21. The Most Collectible US Mint Indian Peace Medal Reverse Types. US Mint Indian Peace Medal Reverse (IPMR) Types 1, 2, 3, and 5.

Figure 22. The Obverse of a US Mint restrike of the United States Diplomatic Medal.

Figure 23. The Reverse of a US Mint restrike of the United States Diplomatic Medal.

Figure 24. Type VII Pierre Chouteau 1834 Indian Peace Medal Replica.

Figure 25. Examples of Medals from Type VII, Other Restrikes and Replicas.

Figure 26: Copy of a Famous Indian Peace Medal Commemorative.

Figure 27. Oregon Historical Society Jefferson Indian Peace Medal.

Figure 28: Awarded to the Environmentally Aware.

Figure 29: Mystery Peace Medal.

Figure 30: Born of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial.

Figure 31: Jefferson Peace Medal Art.

Figure 32. A Program and Medal from the July 6, 1977 Canadian Indian Peace Medal Ceremony Re-enactment at Blackfoot Crossing.

Figure 33. Two Modern Canadian Type III Indian Peace Medals.

Figure 34. 1984 Manitoba Royal Visit/La Verendrye Expedition Canadian Medal.

Figure 35. President Clinton’s Indian Peace Medal.

Figure 36. The Type III Modern African Indian Peace Medal.

Figure 37. The Badge of Honour.

Figure 38. Another Type III Modern African Indian Peace Medal, Rhodesia.

Figure 39: Altering for the Purpose of Counterfeiting is Illegal.

Figure 40: The Difference between a Counterfeit and a Restrike.

Figure 41: The Tricks of the Tricksters.

Figure 42. Fantasy (Fake) 1868 Fort Laramie Peace Medal.

Figure 43. A Selection Of Collectible Items Decorated With A Version Of The Heraldic Eagle.

Figure 44. Two Ancient Roman Coins Featuring A Handshake.

Figure 45. Handshake of Importance; a Medal of Sierra Leone, circa 1814.

Figure 46: Interesting Handshake Tokens.

Figure 47. A Selection Of Coins, Medals, Pins And Badges Featuring Handshakes And Clasped Hands, A Major Indian Peace Medal Symbol.

Figure 48. The “Indian Peace Medal Civil War Token.”

Figure 49. A 1940 US Magazine Advertisement Featuring a Calumet.

Figure 50. A Genuine Indian-Made Calumet and a Selection of Items Decorated With Calumets.

Figure 51. A European Designed Pipeaxe Or Brass Tomahawk With A Wooden Handle, Made For Today’s Tourist Trade.

Figure 52. Indian Peace Medal Symbolism’s Impact on Oklahoma Numismatics.

Figure 53. US Mint Large Bronze Restrike of the Lincoln Indian Peace Medal with the IPMR-T4 Scalping Scene Reverse.

Figure 54. World Coins That Display Laurel Leaves And Doves As Peace Symbols.

Figure 55: Indian Chief With Peace Medal Postcard

Figure 56: Books, Reprints and Programs about Indian Peace Medals.

Figure 57. Bronze restrikes of US WWI and II, Indian War, and Civil War (Army) Participation Medals.

Figure 58. Civil War Participation Medal, Created 33 Years Late.

Figure 59: Indian War Veterans Medal from Argentina for Officers.

Figure 60. Banknotes for Indian Peace Medal Collectors: The Buffalo Bill and the Silver Chief.

Figure 61. Indian Theme Coins and Civil War Tokens.

Figure 62. Indian-Theme Medals And Tokens.

Figure 63. American Attitudes and Wells Fargo Medals, 1902 and 2002.

Figure 64. Improved Order Of The Red Men (IORM) 1914 Bronze Conference Pin, Ribbon And Badge.

Figure 65. US Mint 3 inch Bronze Navajo Code Talkers Commemorative Medal.

Figure 66. A Selection of Just a Few of the Many Beautiful Mexican Coins That Honor North American Indians And Their Culture.

Figure 67. 2002 Shawnee Tribe Silver Dollar.

Figure 68. The Other Type of Medal Distributed to Indians.

Figure 69. Making “Jefferson Indian Peace Medals” for a Classroom Presentation Ceremony Re-enactment.