Owner Comments:
THERE ARE A TOTAL OF (4) OF THIS TYPE IN WHITE METAL, WITH ONLY (1) MS 63 FINER IN THE NGC CENSUS AS OF 9/2023.
THERE HAVE BEEN NONE OF THIS TYPE SOLD IN ANY MAJOR AUCTION THAT I CAN FIND AS OF 9/2023.
Penn's Treaty Bicentennial Medal
Pa-Ph A255A, white metal, 31mm
Lingg & Bro., established dealers in watches and jewelry, acquired a token and medal manufacturing business in 1873. They produced a number of generic dies with Centennial themes that were used to strike trade tokens for merchants around 1876. This nice medal produced a few years later in celebration of the bicentennial of Penn's Treaty, a peace treaty between colonials and indians signed in 1682. Rulau only listed this medal in brass with a plain edge, but copper and white metal versions were also known.
William Penn's Treaty with the Indians;
On March 4, 1681 King Charles II signed the charter granting William Penn the land that would eventually become the State of Pennsylvania. He soon realized, or was informed, that most of this land was held by various Native American tribes. He and his agents began the process of buying land from these tribes. The scene depicted on these medals is William Penn signing the "Great Treaty" in 1682 in the village of Shackamaxon.
Although the pieces above use Robert Lovett Jr's Penn's Treaty obverse die, they were most likely not struck by him as the Bicentennial celebration was 3 years after his death.