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Auction: 314 - Numismatic Collector's Series Sale
Lot: 1067

1911 Chief Wah-She-Ha (Bacon Rind) Aluminum Indian Peace Medal and Correspondence. Uncirculated. 38mm - White Metal. By Edward Knox Elder. A scarce 20th century Indian Peace medal, the silver strikings originally being presented to chiefs of the Osage tribe in Pawnuskla, Oklahoma. Examples were also reportedly struck in copper (15) and the present type - aluminum (400). The surfaces of the current example are lightly hairlined on the obverse with reflectivity remaining on both sides. Perhaps as exciting as the medal offering is the accompanying correspondence between two numismatic luminaries on the subject - Henry Chapman and Thomas Elder. In a letter dated February 24, 1924, Elder writes to Chapman on his letterhead saying that if Chapman is dissatisfied with the medal, Elder would be happy to purchase it for an amount of $3. The letter also addresses, and possibly updates, the mintage figures for the silver specimens. Popularly thought to have been struck in a quantity of only 5, the letter mentions a production of 15 in silver - 12 of which were given to Indians. An additional flip that reads "Indian Chief - silver medal made in 1911 - very few struck - $20" leads us to believe this white metal specimen later joined the correspondence in place of a silver one. Nonetheless, a very interesting and numismatically important grouping. Ex. Henry Chapman.

Sold for
$1,000