1766 and c. 1863 William Pitt Stamp Act medals
Zoins
Posts: 34,308 ✭✭✭✭✭
CRO just sold two great 1766 William Pitt medals. Looking over the CRO site is such a treat that I've been thinking it would be great to have weekly recaps of the wonderful pieces that CRO has handled.
Of note, neither PCGS nor CRO indicates a designer for this or the replica copy, but John Kraljevich indicates this was designed by Thomas Pingo and Betts-515 is a circa 1863 copy along with a nice description indicating the origin of the saying on the reverse:
http://www.jkamericana.com/archive/american-historical-medals/pitt-medal#.XKrhwutKjUo
(1766) William Pitt / Stamp Act medal. Bronze, 40 mm. Betts-516. Dies by Thomas Pingo. Mint State. A highly attractive and unworn specimen of this popular 18th century medal. Struck with Americans (and, undoubtedly, the American market) in mind, this piece features a fine portrait of Pitt on the obverse with the reverse inscription HE WHO HAVING SUCCEEDED IN SAVING THE PARENT PLEADED WITH SUCCESS FOR HER CHILDREN, a reference to Pitt's leadership in the Seven Year War (saving the parent) and his leadership in killing the Stamp Act (pleading for her children). This medal was copied ca. 1863, a variety known as Betts-515, which does not feature Pingo's signature under the bust. This example boasts beautiful lightly toned and somewhat reflective surfaces, rich light brown and gold with a good bit of mint color around the reverse legends. Interestingly, though perhaps unfortunately, some collector eons ago gently tooled away the light die crack at GVLI on the obverse. The die crack is seen on a small proportion of these, and there is a possibility this was done by the issuer in order to make it look less defective. It's undoubtedly old, as the surfaces are toned the same there as they are elsewhere, but tooling is tooling and tooling it remains. A little area of shallow roughness or verdigris present on the reverse at FO of FOR. A highly attractive specimen of this historic medal. While the "Pitt token" is listed in the Redbook and sells for thousands in this grade, this medal is from the same time and is just as historically apropos.
1766 William Pitt Stamp Act Medal Silver Betts-516 PCGS SP64 pop 1/1/0
- PCGS: https://www.pcgs.com/cert/36938055
- CRO: http://www.coinraritiesonline.com/index.php?page=search&task=det_item&item_id=417664
circa 1863 William Pitt Stamp Act Medal replica Gilt Copper Betts-515 PCGS SP62 pop 1/1/0
Betts-515 is a circa 1863 copy according John Kraljevich and evident by the lack of Pingo's signature under the bust. Other diagnostics on the obverse include the buttons on his chest and the TT in PITT. Diagnostics on the reverse include the dot after PARENT, the W in WITH, and the location of the N in CHILDREN relative to the edge.
- PCGS: https://www.pcgs.com/cert/36938054
- CRO: http://www.coinraritiesonline.com/index.php?page=search&task=det_item&item_id=288143
Comments
That is a great looking medal.... and one I was not familiar with. Thanks for the pictures and history. Cheers, RickO