Has anyone heard of a book called " Indian Peace Medals" by Francis Prucha?

Comments

• Mark Posts: 3,600 ✭✭✭✭✭

  February 21, 2006 9:30PM

  I have it and read it a couple of years ago. I also have no burning interest in Indian Peace medals but I also thought the book might prove interesting. For whatever reason, the book never seized my interest. I guess one reason might be because the book was written by a historian, so aside from the medals, there was little or no numismatics. The author's writing style also seemed slightly forced, that is, not terribly graceful. An extract from the NY Times' review of the book (on the back cover of the book) perhaps sums up my discontent with the book: "The history of the nation's Indian policy is revealed through Indian Peace metals..." Personally, I don't have a huge amount of interest in the nation's Indian policy--some, but not a driving desire to learn all about it. On the positive side, the book has a bunch of pictures of Peace medals and pictures of different native Americans. It also has some history. I picked my copy up for a few dollars from eBay. So, I guess as long as you don't spend a lot for the book, it's OK. But I have to presume that there are better books available for numismatists. I just don't know what they are.
  
  Mark

  Mark
  
  
  

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• Pistareen Posts: 1,505 ✭✭✭

  February 22, 2006 12:06AM

  Much of what I know about the history that surrounds Indian Peace medals comes from Father Prucha's book.
  
  Prucha was indeed an historian (and a Jesuit priest), but the information that's in his book really makes Indian Peace medals seem more like artifacts than numismatic collectibles. He says how many of what were given to whom (vital information!) and gives interesting backstory on the medals production and eventual distribution.
  
  My Seasons medal is much more valuable to me knowing how many were carried on the Lewis and Clark Expedition -- info that is found in Prucha and few other places.
  
  The paperback is cheap and relatively easy to find.

  John Kraljevich Americana
  Betts medals, colonial coins, US Mint medals, foreign coins found in early America, and other numismatic Americana

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