1683/1908 Penn Treaty Medal

 

SKU: PennTreatyMedal

 

Historic colonial-themed exonumia with exceptional visual presence, this 1683–1908 Founder’s Week Penn Treaty medal in pewter is a highly appealing relic of Philadelphia’s great commemorative celebration.

The obverse presents a bold bust of William Penn in broad-brimmed hat, his flowing hair and draped attire rendered in strong relief. The reverse depicts the celebrated Penn’s Treaty with the Native Americans beneath a large tree, an iconic historical tableau long associated with Pennsylvania’s founding narrative. The commemorative dates 1683 and 1908 appear in the surrounding legend, along with FOUNDERS WEEK and PENN TREATY, identifying the medal’s connection to the 1908 Philadelphia observance honoring the city’s colonial origins. Struck in pewter, the piece has a pleasing silver-gray appearance that complements the historic subject matter.

This example is described as AU UNC, and the surfaces support that designation with generally sharp surviving detail across Penn’s portrait and the reverse scene. Light circulation friction or cabinet handling is visible, but the medal retains strong definition in the facial features, hair curls, and central treaty composition. The surfaces show the typical minor marks and textural irregularities expected of the issue, yet the overall eye appeal remains decidedly above average, with attractive medium-gray to lighter pewter highlights and a wholesome original look.

Founder’s Week medals occupy an important place in American commemorative exonumia, particularly for collectors of Pennsylvania material, colonial revival issues, and so-called dollar-related historical medals. The Penn Treaty motif is especially significant, recalling the enduring legend of William Penn’s peaceful accord with the Lenape and the broader ideal of fair dealing at the heart of Pennsylvania’s founding mythology. Issued for the 1908 Founder’s Week celebration in Philadelphia, medals of this kind were intended both as souvenirs and as civic expressions of historical memory during a period of intense interest in colonial America.

Collectors prize Penn-related medals for their crossover appeal to students of early American history, Philadelphia memorabilia, and classic commemorative medallic art. The combination of a distinctive sculptural obverse, a narrative reverse, and direct association with one of the nation’s most storied colonial figures makes this an especially desirable type. Pewter examples are encountered with varying degrees of preservation, and appealing pieces with strong detail and honest originality remain consistently sought after.

An attractive and historically resonant Founder’s Week issue, this Penn Treaty medal offers enduring appeal for the collector of American historical medals and colonial-themed exonumia.

 

PCGS #
Grading Service	NONE
Grade	NONE
Mint Location	NONE
Year	1908
Designation	NONE
Strike	Business
Grade Add On	NONE