Early American and Betts Medals
Undated (ca. 1594-1596) Commerce of West Frisia and Holland Medal. Betts-16, Van Loon I:pg. 488, var. Silver. MS-61 (NGC).
49 mm. 57.26 grams. This handsome piece exhibits intermingled blushes of tannish-silver to dominant pearl gray patina. A touch of softness to a few isolated peripheral features is noted, but the overall impression is bold, and the busy and dramatic design is fully appreciable. This medallic double taler commemorates the first commercial expedition to Brazil. Van Loon provides the date 1596 which, however, is not part of the design. This is only the second example of the type that we can recall handling, the first being the Ford XIII:672 specimen in gilt silver that most recently reappeared in our August 2012 Philadelphia ANA Auction.
From Heritage's sale of the Dresden Collection of Hispanic and Brazilian Proclamation Medals, October 2019, lot 39117. Collector envelope with attribution and provenance notes included.
Estimate: $8500