Exonumia Auction - Maine Antique Digest

Betts MedalsH102downturn. Back in 2001 a copper example graded Fine brought$6037.00 in the LaRiviere Sale.Lot 371371. INDIAN PRINCESS FRANCO AMERICAN JETON Betts385 var., Breton 510, 28.2 mm, 8.1 grams. Bronze. Plain edge.Very Fine. Obverse: Bust of Louis XV, legend surrounding: LUD• XV • REX CHRISTIANISS, D.V. at truncation for DuVivier.Reverse: Indian with Bow and quiver of arrows, lilies and palmtrees at background, legend surrounding: SUB OMNI SIDERECRESCUNT (They prosper beneath all stars) In Exergue: COL FRDE L’AM (French Colonies in America) 1751.The Franco American Jetons were produced during the Frenchand Indian War from 1751-1758. Betts describes this jeton withan alligator exiting the swamp to the left of the Indian princess,missing on this example. restruck using original dies until the1880’s. The debate over identifying restrikes is unsettled (thoughsome are privy-marked as restrikes) Most believe the originals areon thin planchets with plain beveled edges but this has always beenbased on nothing more than conjecture.Warren Baker, perhaps the leading expert on these jetons,reexamined the basis for this belief. In his study of the John W.Adams Franco American jeton collection in the June 2011 MCAAdvisory, Baker correctly questioned prior dogma and concludedthat “There is, in my opinion really no way of determining, inmost cases, the contemporary or ‘true originals’”, and that “Idon’t make the determination that the thick piece is later than thatstruck on a thinner flan” He further goes on to say that “I believethat plain square edge pieces are original, though the same mayvary in weight.” This is perhaps due to the edging being done ina Castaing machine, but a Castaing machine can also be used tocreate an engrailed edge, so this part of the discussion has yet to beresolved. This example has a medium flan, with slight roundnessand some evidence of possible engrailing on the edges, but it couldsimply be wear. The condition is similar to Ford’s example (Lot464) that realized $1265.00 in 1986. Traditionalists may considerthis plain edge specimen an early 18th century restrike, but again,that debate has not been resolved definitively.Lot 372372. DEATH OF GEORGE II – WILLIAM PITT THE ELDERSATIRE - BRITISH VICTORIES OF 1760 “TRIUMPHSEVERYWHERE” FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR MEDAL.Betts – 427 .36.6 g 41.0 mm. Copper. Choice Uncirculated.Obverse: Armored bust of George II to left with laurel wreath,legend surrounding: GEORGIUS •II • D • G •MAG • BR • FR •ET • HIB • REX. Below bust: J • DASSIER F•. Reverse: Legend:TRIUMPHIA UBIQUE (Triumphs everywhere) with a complexcentral allegorical design of a large “pedestal” covered by thetrophies of war; seated upon it winged Victory inscribing a shieldthe continents: ASIA/AFRICA/AMERI/EUR, an obelisk upon thepedestal bearing an oval relief with bust of William Pitt, legendsurrounding: GU : PITT : DICTATOR (William Pitt Dictator)above and to the left is winged Fame, unveiling the image ofPitt, trumpet blaring, below the pedestal is inscribed the birth,coronation and death dates of George II: NATUS. 10 NOV:1683/COR:22 OCT: 1727/OBIT25 OCT 1760.With the pronouncement of “Triumphs everywhere” this medalhas always been associated with and included as part of the otherBritish yearly victories medals of 1758, 1759, and 1762 (Betts416, 418, 419, and 444). The conflicts during the Seven Years Wardid extend, as inscribed by Victory on the reverse of the medal, tofour continents beyond North America to Europe, Africa (Senegal)and Asia (India). It was in many ways truly the First World War.However, Betts and others describing this medal have completelymissed the purpose of this medal. First and foremost, Betts - 427is a commemorative and memorial to George II and the 1760 dateon the medal refers to the King’s death, and not the victories of thatyear. The monument described as a “pedestal” and “pyramid” byBetts could represent a large memorial or crypt of George II withthe inscription being a gravestone; though George II was in factburied in the floor of Westminster Abbey with a simple inscriptionon the floor and no gravestone.The second meaning hidden within the reverse of the design isnearly as important and satirical; the bust of William Pitt the Elder,surrounded by the title of Dictator. With the king now elderly,William Pitt the Elder was controlling British war efforts anddecisions completely by 1758. After his death and the successionof the realm to his young grandson George III, there was a powerstruggle between Pitt (having acted according to this medal, asDictator) and the new King, a struggle Pitt was most certain tolose. On October 2, 1761, after being rebuked by George III forhis incursions into Germany during the Seven Years War, Pitt wasforced to resign. As this medal shows, as George II died, so did hepower of William Pitt, unveiled by Fame. This pristine examplematches the quality of the Heritage Adams sale example (lot 3923)which realized $1092.50373. HORATIO GATES. Betts 557; MI-2; Loubat 2; Adams/BentleyState 2. 55.6mm. 106.8 grams. Copper, bronzed. NicholasGatteaux, Sc. Lustrous About Uncirculated. The obverse bearsthe bust of Gates to the left, with a legend that translates, “ToHoratio Gates, the Valiant Leader”. Beneath the exergual line is thecommissioning authority, COMITIA AMERICANA. The reversebears a scene of the surrender of Gen. Burgoyne, who is offeringhis sword to Gates.Struck from the original dies. On the obverse there is a diagnosticdot above the left upright of the E in STRENUO and a small linewithin the C of COMITIA. There is a diagnostic die break from thereverse rim at 2:30 through ON to the tip of the flag. This medalwas voted #56 in the Whitman listing of the 100 Greatest American