George III Peace Medals

As part of the 18th-century competition for Native American lands, trade, and military alliances, European powers presented Indian leaders with so-called "Indian Peace medals" - the larger the medal, the more important the leader was thought to be.

Britain's Native American allies received medals depicting King George III and the royal coat of arms. Those who later allied with the United States traded in their British medals for American ones, as visible signs of their new allegiance.

George III Peace Medal

Silver
ca. 1776-1778

American Numismatic Society 1923.52.7, Acquired from Walter C. Wyman Collection

George III Peace Medal

Silver
1760-1801

American Numismatic Society 1923.52.8

George III Peace Medal

Silver
1760-1801

American Numismatic Society 1919.154.1, Acquired from Mrs. John Reilly
George Washington Oval Peace Medals

George Washington faced the challenge of adapting monarchical practices to republican ideals. Because no American mint possessed the technology to produce large dies, these medals were hand-engraved by individual silversmiths on thin plates of rolled silver, making each medal unique.

Medium size Washington Peace Medal

Silver
Possibly made in New York City
1789

American Numismatic Society 1916.999.197, Acquired from John F. Noegel

Small size Washington Peace Medal

Silver
Probably made in Philadelphia
1792

American Numismatic Society 1921.23.1

Large size Washington Peace Medal

Silver
Probably made in Philadelphia
1793

American Numismatic Society 1915.138.4, Gift of Stephen H.P. Pell

Red Jacket, Seneca War Chief

Lithograph by Charles Joseph Hullmandel after Charles Bird King
ca. 1830-1840

Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Washington D.C.
George Washington “Seasons” Peace Medals

Near the end of his presidency, George Washington directed Secretary of War James McHenry to order new peace medals. Three different designs explicitly promoted the adoption of settled agriculture, depicting a man sowing wheat, another herding cattle, and two women spinning and weaving beside a hearth.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-1805 distributed nearly five dozen of these medals to leaders of Plains and Rocky Mountain nations, whose nomadic cultures and reliance on animal hides could hardly have been more distant from the medallic scenes of farming and textile production.

“The Farmer”

Silver
Designed by John Trumbull, 1797
Struck by Matthew Bolton and James Watt, Soho Manufactory, Birmingham, England, 1798

American Numismatic Society 1915.140.1, Gift of J.P. Morgan

“The Shepherd”

Silver
Designed by John Trumbull, 1797
Struck by Matthew Bolton and James Watt, Soho Manufactory, Birmingham, England, 1798

American Numismatic Society 1915.141.1, Gift of J.P. Morgan

“The Family”

Silver
Designed by John Trumbull, 1797
Struck by Matthew Bolton and James Watt, Soho Manufactory, Birmingham, England, 1798

American Numismatic Society 1915.139.1, Gift of J.P. Morgan
Thomas Jefferson Peace Medals

During Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, American peace medals returned to the traditional model: a profile portrait of the head of state, symbolically affirming a personal connection of the Native American leader to the president.

Large size Jefferson Peace Medal

Silver
1801

American Numismatic Society 1923.52.11, Acquired from Walter C. Wyman Collection

Large size Jefferson Peace Medal

Bronze
Attributed to John Reich and Robert Scott, Philadelphia
1801

American Numismatic Society 1923.52.12, Acquired from Walter C. Wyman Collection
Comitia Americana (American Congress) Medals

In March 1776, Congress marked the British retreat from Boston by commissioning a gold medal honoring the victorious commander in chief, George Washington. Later, as the Revolution raged on, Congress ordered additional gold and silver medals to honor ten commanders of six notable victories. The designs included portrait busts, allegorical figures, and battle scenes.

Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson hoped to distribute sets of the medals as diplomatic gifts to “each of the Crowned heads in Europe” (excepting the British king!). This grand plan was never achieved, likely due to its high cost and the political turmoil of the French Revolution. President Washington received the only known original set of silver Comitia Americana medals.

George Washington Before Boston, 1776

Bronze
Die engraved by Pierre-Simon-Benjamin Duvivier, Paris
1789

American Numismatic Society 1940.100.366, Acquired from Mr. R.J. Eidlitz

George Washington Before Boston, 1776

Silver
Die engraved by Pierre-Simon-Benjamin Duvivier, Paris
1789

American Numismatic Society 0000.999.38279

Major General Horatio Gates

Battle of Saratoga, New York, 1777

Bronze
Dies engraved by Nicolas-Marie Gatteaux, Paris
1785-1787

American Numismatic Society 1951.65.1, Acquired From F.W. Vogeler

Lieutenant Colonel François-Louis Teissédre de Fleury

Assault on Stony Point, New York, 1779

Silver
Dies engraved by Pierre-Simon-Benjamin Duvivier, Paris
1780

American Numismatic Society 0000.999.38316

Major John Stewart

Assault on Stony Point, New York, 1779

Bronze
Dies engraved by Nicolas-Marie Gatteaux, Paris
1789

American Numismatic Society 0000.999.38318

Captain John Paul Jones

Battle of the USS Bonhomme Richard and HMS Serapis, 1779

Copper
Dies engraved by Augustin Dupré, Paris
1789

American Numismatic Society 0000.999.38320

Major Henry Lee

Battle of Paulus Hook, New Jersey, 1779

Bronze
Dies engraved by Joseph Wright, Philadelphia
1792

American Numismatic Society 1967.225.520

Brigadier General Daniel Morgan

Battle of the Cowpens, South Carolina, 1781

Bronze
Dies engraved by Augustin Dupré, Paris
1789

American Numismatic Society 1967.225.523

Sketch for Daniel Morgan medal

By Augustin Dupré, n.d.
undated, ca. 1789

Courtesy of the American Philosophical Society

Lieutenant Colonel William A. Washington

Battle of the Cowpens, South Carolina, 1781

Bronze
Dies engraved by Pierre-Simon-Benjamin Duvivier, Paris
1789

American Numismatic Society 0000.999.38343

Lieutenant Colonel John Eager Howard

Battle of the Cowpens, South Carolina, 1781

Copper
Dies engraved by Pierre-Simon-Benjamin Duvivier, Paris
1789

American Numismatic Society 1967.225.526

Major General Nathanael Greene

Battle of Eutaw Springs, North Carolina, 1781

Dies engraved by Augustin Dupré, Paris
1785-1787

American Numismatic Society 1940.80.2, Gift of M.M. Greenwood
Fidelity Medal

America’s first military decoration was bestowed only once—for the capture of British spy Major John André in September 1780. Congress bestowed the Fidelity Medal to three New York militiamen, John Paulding, Isaac Van Wart, and David Williams, for “nobly disdaining to sacrifice their country for the sake of gold, … whereby the dangerous and traitorous conspiracy of Benedict Arnold was brought to light, … and the United States rescued from impending danger.”

Fidelity (Major André) Medal, 1780

Silver
Copy of medal presented by George Washington to John Paulding

American Numismatic Society 1945.23.7
Libertas Americana (American Liberty) Medal

News of the decisive victory at Yorktown in October 1781 prompted Benjamin Franklin, the American minister to France, to commission a medal commemorating the Declaration of Independence and the victorious French-American alliance. The result is considered a masterpiece of medallic art.

Libertas Americana Medal

Silver
Die engraved by Augustin Dupré, Paris
1782-1783

American Numismatic Society 1912.104.4, Gift of Avery Samuel Putnam

Libertas Americana Medal

Copper
Die engraved by Augustin Dupré, Paris
1782-1783

American Numismatic Society 1964.67.1

Sketch for the Libertas Americana medal

By Augustin Dupré
1783

Courtesy of the American Philosophical Society
Benjamin Franklin Medals

Three early medals pay tribute to Benjamin Franklin as scientist and diplomat, highlighting his discovery of electricity and invention of the lightning rod. Surviving sketches from engraver Augustin Dupré show how the design and symbolism of the 1784 medal evolved.

B. Franklin of Philadelphia, 1777

Bronze

American Numismatic Society 1967.226.79, Acquired from J. Coolidge Hills

Benj. Franklin Natus Boston (Born in Boston), 1784

Bronze
Dies engraved by Augustin Dupré, Paris
1783-1786

American Numismatic Society 1940.100.187 Acquired from R. J. Eidlitz

Sketch for Benjamin Franklin medal

By Augustin Dupré
undated, ca. 1784

Courtesy of the American Philosophical Society

Sketch for Benjamin Franklin medal

By Augustin Dupré
undated, ca. 1784

Courtesy of the American Philosophical Society

Sketches for Benjamin Franklin medal

By Augustin Dupré
undated, ca. 1784

Courtesy of the American Philosophical Society

Benj. Franklin Natus Boston (Born in Boston), 1786

Bronze
Dies engraved by Augustin Dupré, Paris
1783-1786

American Numismatic Society 1967.225.178, Acquired from J. Coolidge Hills
Diplomatic Medal of the United States

Gift-giving was an established part of 18th-century diplomacy. George Washington approved Thomas Jefferson’s suggestion for a gold medal to be “the American present” for retiring ministers from European nations. These trial impressions, called “splashers,” were made in lead to test the die.

Diplomatic Medal of the United States, trial impression

Lead
Die engraved by Augustin Dupré, Paris
1791-1792

American Numismatic Society 1935.126.23

Diplomatic Medal of the United States, trial impression

Lead
Die engraved by Augustin Dupré, Paris
1801

American Numismatic Society 1935.126.24