1720 Medal Betts-137 Copper John Law - Tralalarala, BN MS(PCGS#922011)

August 2023 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

2011

等级

AU55BN

价格

78,643

详细说明

Superb John Law "Tralalara" Medal in Copper 1720 John Law / Tralalara Medal. Betts-137, Adams-13. Copper. AU-55 (PCGS). 26.7 mm. One of the most fascinating and important of the John Law medals, if not the most visually arresting. Attractive glossy medium brown with a bit of remaining luster. Some specks of verdigris and corrosion are noted on the obverse, mostly hidden among the legends and not distracting. The obverse focuses on a satire on the seal of Law's Compagnie des Indes, with the facing Indians holding a cornucopia that is offering something other than plenty (Water? Wind? Sound?). The legends relate to it, translating to "Since all trade otherwise is led the same way again; the mountains are in labor but produce nothing but sound, the sign of the whole company." The 1720-dated reverse offers lengthy commentary from the famous sixth chapter of First Timothy ("the love of money is the root of all evil"). The two of these in Ford are the only other examples of this medal your cataloger (JK) has ever seen. Ford owned one in silver and one in copper; they brought $4,025 and $3,450, respectively. The silver example last appeared in the January 2014 Adams sale. Mike Hodder called this the "Tralalara medal" based on the appearance of that word in the legend, a nonsense word meaning "nothing" (something like bupkis). We like it. Provenance: From the Skyler Liechty Collection. Earlier from eBay; John Kraljevich, July 2021. 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.