489

Indian Chief Medal

Currency:CAD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:15,000.00 CAD Estimated At:18,000.00 - 22,000.00 CAD
Indian Chief Medal
SOLD
15,000.00CAD+ buyer's premium (3,000.00)
This item SOLD at 2025 May 02 @ 14:46UTC-04:00 : 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 all sessions of the Toronto Coin Expo Spring Sale have concluded.

George III 1814 Indian Chief - 76mm Silver Medal 126 grams with original hanger by Thomas Wyon Jr. Leroux 838, Breton-19, Jamieson 24, Adams 12.1, BHM 844, Eimer-1061a.

Obverse: older mantled bust of George III facing right, GEORGIVS III DEI GRATIA BRITANNIARVM REX, F.D. / T. WYON JUN. S.

Reverse: Royal Arms and supporters, 1814. Edge: plain.

This is the largest of the 1814 dated medals and the combination of Thomas Wyon’s dies, finely made planchets, beautifully executed strikes make for arguably the most aesthetically pleasing of the British Indian Chief medals.
Of significant historical importance as the contribution of the First Nations to the British during the War of 1812 cannot be underestimated. Based on John W. Adams’ research of the surviving medals, he has suggested that the original issuance of the 1814 medals might have been as many as half of those issued of the young head during the period from 1776 to 1813. Robert W. McLachlan writing in 1899 indicates that the purpose of the medals, Were a departure from the usual custom of cementing the friendship of the chiefs at the beginning or during the course of hostilities. The date of 1814 on the medals – the year of the close of the war – proclaims this; for, in the character of rewards for bravery, they may be class as true war medals, all the others except the “Conquest Medal” are simply treaty medals.