Silver Medal of Lincoln, Abraham, United States, 1862–1862. 1917.161.1

Physical Description

• Measurements

  • Weight (in gr.): 170.995

• Conservation State

  • Description: Pierced; bent, with crater from impact of bullet (embedded bullet still intact)
• SerialNumber: 1000000

Typological Description

• Object Type: Medal
• Date: 1862

• Date on Object

  • Date: 1862
• Material: Silver

• Authority

  • Maker: United States Mint

• Geographic

  • Place of Production: United States
  • Place of Cataloging Relevance: United States

• Obverse

  • Portrait: Lincoln, Abraham
  • Artist: Ellis, Salathiel

• Reverse

  • Artist: Willson, Joseph

References

• Citation: Chamberlain, Amer. Med.& Medallists. p.98
• Reference: Belden.53
• Reference: Prucha.ch.27
• Reference: Julian.IP-38

Administrative History

• Identifier: 1917.161.1
• Lot: 1917.161
• Department: Medals and Decorations
• Collection: American Numismatic Society
• ImageSponsor: Edlow, Kenneth L.

• Provenance

  • Saltus, J. Sanford: John P. Lower, Ute Chief(Colorado)

Description

Original-solid silver (second striking, second rev.); thickness: 4.3mm. Sold by a Ute Indian in Colorado who, in 1873, was in a skirmish with another tribe when a bullet struck the medal, which saved his life. He sold the medal calling it "heap bad medicine" because it should have kept the bullet away from him altogether (see article by Chamberlain-copy on rev. of medal's box). Gift of J. Sanford Saltus. ||N.B. The owner until 1917 was John P. Lower of Denver, Colorado. He died August 22,1917. Lower was from|Philadelphia and had a brother and one surviving son, Clarence, his wife having died in 1888. (per Dave Lanara, 4/2007)

Subjects

• Category: Indian Peace Medals

Rights

• CopyrightHolder: American Numismatic Society
• License: Public Domain Mark (images)
• Rights: No Copyright - United States