This week I re-read the adventures of Alan Weinberg obtaining the James K Polk Indian Peace medal. While thinking about it, I recalled a post by Harvey Stack a few weeks ago, where he told about Lammot Dupont when he was buying an early American silver coin was not interested in a BU piece, but rather a lightly circulated one that had been handled by people, perhaps even some of our nation's founders.

The described Polk medal is a beautiful proof, but surely has never been on an Indian reservation. So, which would be more desirable - that piece, or an identical one, say, fine with some nicks and scratches and a small hole that was worn by a real Indian chief? (Living history.)

In my library I have books that picture Indian chiefs proudly wearing their medals, the oldest being Red Jacket wearing a large engraved medal of Washington. I guess it would depend on collector himself. Probably the condition fans would outnumber the history fans.