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Did You Know?

· That Indian Peace Medals have been presented to Indian leaders by governments and organizations as symbols of peace and friendship since the 1600's? (Chapter 1)

· That the USA made these medals long before ever making coins? (Chapter 1)

· That a calumet was smoked and a hatchet buried before many peace medal ceremonies? (Chapter 1)

· That a European queen presented Indian Peace (Chief’s) Medals in person occurred in 1970 ? (Chapter 3)

· That a former US president has presented Indian Peace Medals to Indian chiefs within the last decade? (Chapter 3)

· That there is an African equivalent of the Indian Peace Medal? (Chapter 3)

· That there is an “Indian Peace Medal Civil War Token”? (Chapter 5)

· That the Indian Wars Medal is the only one in US history to depict the vanquished? (Chapter 6)

Can You Name?

· The seven types of Indian Peace Medals? (Chapter 2)

· The president featured on most of the medals distributed by Lewis and Clark? (Chapter 2)

· The US Mint medal most commonly mistaken for an Indian Peace Medal? (Chapter 2)

· Three ways to authenticate an Indian Peace Medal? (Chapter 4)

· The four best-known Indian Peace Medal symbols? (Chapter 5)

· The president whose medal reverse has a Bible? (Chapter 5)

· Two rare US banknotes that are inextricably tied to Indian Peace Medals? (Chapter 7)

· At least five different US coins with Indian themes? (Chapter 7)

· The safest storage methods for your collection? (Chapter 8)

· Three ways your collection can teach children about US history? (Chapter 8)

Summary

Whether presented to a chief in the 1600s to create an alliance, or in 2005 to foster goodwill, the Indian Peace Medal has been an important diplomatic tool for over 400 years. It was the nation’s first bridge between the very different cultures of the New and Old Worlds and was a continuing link between North American Indians and American colonists. And yet, most Americans know little or nothing about them.

The same is true of the “Hobby of Kings.” Indian Peace Medals are the grandparents of US numismatics and yet, so much about them remains a near secret. Present-day coin, medal and token design did not evolve in a vacuum. All of the coins and medals ever made have enjoyed some amount of impact on their modern day cousins. Exactly how much impact each design has had is neither measurable nor important. What deserves noting is that coin and medal design evolves over time and is interwoven throughout human history.

Collecting Indian Peace Medals from all 7 categories and the Indian theme coins, medals and tokens that surround this collectible family is not only fun, it pays tribute to history. It recognizes that the Indian Peace Medal played an important role in the formation of the USA, that it influenced coins and medals, and it continues to play a role today.

-Rita Laws

May, 2005