Undated (Circa 1763) Box Medal of the Seven Years War. Betts-unlisted. Silver. Extremely Fine.
49.2 x 27.4 mm. Top: armored bust of a youthful King George III of England to right with Latin legend around ("He has broken the enemy and extended the Empire"). Bottom: armored bust of King George II of England to right with Latin legend around ("They ever pray that thou be invincible"). Enclosed within the box are 61 double sided paper roundels featuring finely engraved views of a military or naval engagement, or text detailing the events of the conflict. Of interest to Betts medals collectors and collectors of Americana in general is a reference to Colonel George Washington and actions in the Americas. The Seven Years' War of 1756-1763 is the first of the European wars of the Colonial era that actually started in the Americas, in this case the French and Indian War (began 1754), although the European portion of the conflict can also be called an extension of the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748). In the United States, in fact, most scholars refer to this conflict as the French and Indian War. Of major interest to American scholars is the fact that Great Britain triumphed over her French rival in the New World and secured control over Florida and Canada, thanks in no small measure to the commitment of her Prussian ally in Europe (under King Frederick II, a.k.a. Frederick the Great) which allowed the British to concentrate on maintaining supremacy on the high seas.
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From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from our sale of June 2011, lot 6.

Estimate: $1800