Chronicles of Oklahoma
Volume 5, No. 4
December, 1927
BOOK REVIEW
Page
429
“Indian Peace Medals Issued in the United States,” by Bauman L. Belden. New York, The American Numismatic society, 1927. 4 to, paper, 46 pp., 1 port, 22 pl. Price $5.00.
This carefully prepared and beautifully illustrated monograph is of unusual historical interest, although, as the author states,
a complete history of these interesting historical souvenirs cannot as yet be written. The granting of medals to the chiefs
and head men of various Indian tribes was in common practice by the British colonial officials having to do with Indian affairs
prior, to the War for American Independence, and this custom was continued by the Federal Government Indian office, at the
beginning of the Washington administration, in 1789. All of the peace medals issued during Washington’s administration were
eliptical in outline, engraved or chased on a thin plate of silver, bound by a rim of the same metal, generally uniform in
design but exhibiting more or less variation in details. Beginning with the administration of President John Adams, minted
medals were issued for those of every succeeding president down to and including Benjamin Harrison, with the single exception
of the brief administration of William Henry Harrison. Among the illustrations (Plate 8) are the full-size halftone reproductions
of the obverse and reverse of a Washington medal, owned by Mrs. William Delesdernier, of Oklahoma City, and which is deposited
in and on exhibition by the museum of the Oklahoma Historical Society.
J. B. T.
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