1720 AR Medal Betts-128, Riches to Ruin MS(PCGS#889637)

August 2023 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

2009

等级

MS62

价格

157,285

详细说明

Impressive Betts-128 John Law Rarity 1720 John Law / From Riches to Ruin Medal. Betts-128, Adams-19. Silver. MS-62 (PCGS). 40.5 mm. Traces of "B 128" (the Betts number) and "6363" carefully penned in India ink in the left reverse field, mostly flaked away. A beautiful medal, with rich luster on both sides and gorgeous old toning in varied shades of blue, rose, violet, and gold. Only trivial surface marks are noted, and little if any friction is seen on the highpoints. Two natural lintmarks, one rather straight and the other curled, are seen in the right obverse field. The design is a classic, showing a treasure chest full of coins, while the standing figure studies bank bills under a magnifying glass. As Adams describes it, "the man is fooled by the magnifying glass into thinking that the paper bills are worth more than they are, so he is willing to pay out hard coin from his money chest." The obverse is best summed up by the exergual legend: "the shares are fraud and delusion." On the reverse, a scene of despair is depicted, with one man hanging, two more have either jumped in the river or appear to be considering it, and other flees to the right. The legend proclaims that "the game has now been discovered" and "the fraud makes a horrible end." This is a grown-up sentiment, for sure, and one of the most demonstrative of the Law medals. This is only the third example we've seen. Ford's brought $13,800 in 2006 and resold in our E Pluribus Unum sale of November 2021 for $20,400. The Adams medal wasn't quite as nice and brought $7,637 in 2014. This piece came out of the woodwork in 2013 and our consignor has owned it ever since. Provenance: From the Skyler Liechty Collection. Earlier from Fred Baldwin (London) to an American collector, ca. 1960; John Kraljevich, December 2013. Collector envelope with attribution and provenance notes included. Click here for certification details from PCGS. Image with the PCGS TrueView logo is obtained from and is subject to a license agreement with Collectors Universe, Inc. and its divisions PCGS and PSA.