A far too little known medal, vividly capturing the story of the capture of Spanish silver that inspired the 1745 and 1746 LIMA coinage. The obverse deftly displays the July 10, 1745 capture of the Lewis Erasmus, Notre Dame, and Marquis d'Entin by the English-flagged privateers Duke and Prince Frederick. Portraits of the captains of those two vessels, James Talbot and John Morecock, are displayed being held by Fames on the reverse, while a dramatic scene plays out near the exergue: the last of 45 mule-drawn wagons full of Spanish bullion arriving at the Tower Mint on October 1 and 2, 1745.

The history of this rare copper New Hampshire coinage is fairly well documented in the literature, especially in Sylvester S. Crosby's Early Coins of America (1875), which reproduces the enabling legislation in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, March 13, 1775, and includes other valuable information relating to the origin of the first of the state copper coins.

The issue was intended "for the benefit of small change," as Continental currency bills were "so large." It was recommended that 108 of the coppers be equal in value from one Spanish milled dollar -- thus setting the weight as about twice that of a British halfpenny and perhaps characterizing the New Hampshire copper as a penny (although no denomination was specified). Walter Moulton was empowered to coin as many as might amount to 100 pounds in weight, subject when made to the inspection and direction of the General Assembly before pieces were made for general circulation.

The obverse is of a simple design meant to test the concept, not to create an artistic coin for regular issue. At the top is U.S.A. and at the bottom border is 1852. The coin has a fin or thin wire edge at the perimeter, and another from the central punch, both of which served to protect these devices. The reverse has an open laurel wreath tied at the base with a ribbon, with the leaves all parallel and aligned, with the denomination DOLLAR above. Dentils surround the rim. Large plain perforation at the center.

Uniface. Printed on green rag paper. Medium size format note. 123mm by 52mm. Local typeset in black, with pattern end design, without imprint. At the left end, a pattern border within text in center, all enclosed with solid black frame. Central texts: "The National Treasurer of the CHOCTAW NATION, pay to bearer,/FIFTY CENTS,/In three equal Annual Installments of One, Two and Three years from date/hereof. Dated at Armstrong Academy, in said Nation on this__day of___A.D. 186_" Signature space at the lower right for "National Secretary of said Nation." At the top, "CHOCTAW TREASURY WARRANT" above fancy ornament flanked by spaces for serial numbers (the right, series?). Signed at lower right by 'James Riley'. Signature across upper left of 'S.[amuel] Garland/P.C.C.N.'[Principal Chief Choctaw Nation] and endorsed 'Paid' at the right. Unnumbered. Reissued in 1865 with verso endorsements and reissued notations: 'Reissued per act/Oct 17 1865 with/five percent interest from this date' and signed by 'Allen Wright/Nat'l Treas.'

KL 355-50. Orange paper. Black printing on face only. An incredible piece which is one of a reported two known examples for the denomination. A piece which was absent in the Ford holdings and a highlight of the Western Reserve Historical Society Collection. A pair of hinge remnants are seen at on the verso and pleasing embossing is welcomed. A truly stellar item and a highlight of this terrific grouping of envelopes from the Chester L. Krause collection.

A very interesting group of historical documents that shed some new light to the historical background of the Yuan Shih-kai as Hung Hsien commemorative medals/dollars. It is interesting to note that the receipts for the striking of these are nine months apart. This most likely accounts for why there are different edge varieties on known genuine medals/coins of this type. Although Henry Chapman owned the dies for said issue, it is unlikely he owned the collars to produce the edges. In all likelihood the mint official responsible for striking these would select a collar of the appropriate size each time these were struck. This leaving numismatist today with minor variances in edge designs.

Historically very interesting and unquestionably UNIQUE. A wonderful group of documents that is of great interest for the researcher and are of museum quality and importance.