UNITED STATES, FRANKLIN PIERCE, (1853-1857), INDIAN PEACE MEDAL, 1853

Silver. Large size. Salthiel Ellis, obverse; Joseph Willson, reverse. FRANKLIN PIERCE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. 1853; below truncation, S.ELLIS, head of Pierce left, rev., LABOR—HONOR—VIRTUE above settler and Indian standing in front of American flag, an axe and plow between them; in ex., J.WILLSON, 76.1 mm (Julian IP-32; Prucha 49; Belden 48), pierced for suspension, with replacement loop, flan flaw at hairline of Pierce, otherwise good very fine or better with some prooflike surface and gunmetal grey toning

F.C.C. Boyd Collection; John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, part XVI, Stack’s, October 17, 2006, lot 151

The peace medal design saw a change during the previous administration, the work being entrusted to two New York artists, Salthiel Ellis and Joseph Willson. Ellis was again engaged for the obverse of the Pierce medal, while the reverse was reused from the Millard Fillmore medal. Only produced in two sizes, the medals were produced privately in New York City, possibly by Smith and Hartman.