Bramblefind
Silver Member
I am posting this in Today's Finds even though I did not dig this since it is a find of a lifetime - and timely. 
I have been working on this project for a few months now. But just today I found out that this medal is not only real, rare and valuable but also SOLD to a very prominent collector for a significant amount of money... so I thought I would post the story here.
I bought this George II silver medal on eBay for less than $100.00. I was the only bidder!
Before I placed my bid I did some preliminary research to try to figure out what it might have been issued for. The only reference that I could find that matched were some descriptions of medals brought over to America in 1753 by the then new governor of New York in order to be given as gifts to the Iroquois Indian chiefs. The eBay medal was advertised as silver but no mention to North American Indians was made in the description - I know the seller had no idea what it was either.
When it finally came to me in the mail I KNEW instantly it had to be something very special. It was bigger than the listing indicated but it was exactly the size I was hoping it would be. I gambled that the seller made a typo when listing it and listed the size a slightly smaller than it actually was - and I was right!
I then - with the help of a few wonderful Tnet members - THANK YOU!! - went about trying to figure out what this medal really was and what it might be worth. I hit so many roadblocks. I contacted a very well known collector of George III Indian Peace Medals and was given a one line response to my lengthy email:
when I checked the ANS website no pictures of this medal were there.
I approached two big numismatic auction houses. These were their responses:
I just refused to believe it! I started hitting the google searches and ordering books and I started to find references:
And then my Tnet friends started to make contact with people who actually knew what this medal was and knew it was something fantastic.
Things really came together when I contacted the American Numismatic Society and found out they have an example of this medal in their collection and here are some things I learned about it from them-
I ended up sending the medal to NYC to be authenticated by a well known authority on Colonial medals and coins. He confirmed it was a genuine period silver medal but he thought it was a "general purpose" medal and "Indian related" but not an Indian Peace Medal. I understand now he might be changing his opinion on this but it just goes to show how rare this medal is! I feel so fortunate to have had it in my possession and to have DONE THE RESEARCH to bring this medal to the attention of the people who counted.
As I said at the beginning - a VERY prominent collector made me a fantastic offer of many thousands and purchased this medal. It is possible that "my" medal will be included in upcoming research articles about this class of medals and their use as gifts by the British to the important North American Indian chiefs..
It was only last year I found my first copper detecting. I had never seen one before that. I have only started dabbling on eBay in the last 6 months or so buying an occasional George II or George III halfpenny just so I could see one in person since I hadn't had the fortune to dig one yet. I NEVER would have found this medal or been able to find a buyer for it if not for this forum and the wonderful members who helped me!
I have been working on this project for a few months now. But just today I found out that this medal is not only real, rare and valuable but also SOLD to a very prominent collector for a significant amount of money... so I thought I would post the story here.
I bought this George II silver medal on eBay for less than $100.00. I was the only bidder!
Before I placed my bid I did some preliminary research to try to figure out what it might have been issued for. The only reference that I could find that matched were some descriptions of medals brought over to America in 1753 by the then new governor of New York in order to be given as gifts to the Iroquois Indian chiefs. The eBay medal was advertised as silver but no mention to North American Indians was made in the description - I know the seller had no idea what it was either.
When it finally came to me in the mail I KNEW instantly it had to be something very special. It was bigger than the listing indicated but it was exactly the size I was hoping it would be. I gambled that the seller made a typo when listing it and listed the size a slightly smaller than it actually was - and I was right!
I then - with the help of a few wonderful Tnet members - THANK YOU!! - went about trying to figure out what this medal really was and what it might be worth. I hit so many roadblocks. I contacted a very well known collector of George III Indian Peace Medals and was given a one line response to my lengthy email:
when I checked the ANS website no pictures of this medal were there.
I approached two big numismatic auction houses. These were their responses:
I just refused to believe it! I started hitting the google searches and ordering books and I started to find references:
And then my Tnet friends started to make contact with people who actually knew what this medal was and knew it was something fantastic.
Things really came together when I contacted the American Numismatic Society and found out they have an example of this medal in their collection and here are some things I learned about it from them-I ended up sending the medal to NYC to be authenticated by a well known authority on Colonial medals and coins. He confirmed it was a genuine period silver medal but he thought it was a "general purpose" medal and "Indian related" but not an Indian Peace Medal. I understand now he might be changing his opinion on this but it just goes to show how rare this medal is! I feel so fortunate to have had it in my possession and to have DONE THE RESEARCH to bring this medal to the attention of the people who counted.
As I said at the beginning - a VERY prominent collector made me a fantastic offer of many thousands and purchased this medal. It is possible that "my" medal will be included in upcoming research articles about this class of medals and their use as gifts by the British to the important North American Indian chiefs..
It was only last year I found my first copper detecting. I had never seen one before that. I have only started dabbling on eBay in the last 6 months or so buying an occasional George II or George III halfpenny just so I could see one in person since I hadn't had the fortune to dig one yet. I NEVER would have found this medal or been able to find a buyer for it if not for this forum and the wonderful members who helped me!
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