1223

Indian Chief Medal

Currency:CAD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:4,000.00 CAD Estimated At:8,000.00 - 10,000.00 CAD
Indian Chief Medal
SOLD
4,200.00CAD+ buyer's premium (840.00)
This item SOLD at 2017 Sep 29 @ 20:06UTC-4 : AST/EDT



Buyer’s Premiums will be added on all items as per the Terms & Conditions of the sale. Invoices will be emailed out after The Toronto Coin Expo.
Jamieson # 36. In 1871, the Canadian Dominion government signed Treaties 1 and 2 with the Chippawas and the Crees acquiring territorial rights in the Province of Manitoba and lands west of Manitoba. In the rush to present medals to the Chiefs, a stock medal engraved by J.S and A.B. Wyon was used. It featured Queen Victoria on the obverse and a ring of leaves on the reverse with the center portion blank suitable for engraving. The medal measured 51 mm and because of its small size the Chiefs were not happy as they measured inportance by the size of the medal. As a result, several were replaced by a more impressive medal at a later date. Medal # 36 seldom enters the market with one being offered in the 1970 Sotheby's sale in Montreal as lot 219. It sold for $460, a princely sum in that day. Fifty were originally ordered with 30 designated for treaty negotiators, 18 were sent to British Columbia and 2 were sold to Ministers of the Crown. This specimen has a loop at 12 o'clock as is normal with a red ribbon. The medal has been worn as evidenced by wear and scratches. That is quite common and considered desirable by many collectors. There is a name scratched on the reverse but is illegible to this writer. In a later piece of research by Warren Baker penned in the MCA Advisory ( Medal Collectors of America) Baker refutes the writings of Morin (1915) and Jamieson (1936) regarding the medal. He states that there is no evidence the 30 medals intended for Manitoba were ever presented. The 1872 Report of Indian Affairs makes no mention of them. The 1873 report indicates 20 medals were authorized by John Rose, Canadian Agent-General in London for use in Manitoba and British Columbia. If only 20 medals made it to Manitoba and British Columbia it is indeed a rare medal. This stock medal could have easily been used as gift at special occasions and Baker states at least one was used for a bravery award. Included in this lot are accompanying notes giving detailed research.