Medal commemorating birth of USA is sold for £82,000 at auction

ONE of the most famous and sought-after medals relating to American history has been sold for £82,000 in a Tyneside auction which attracted international attention.

- TONY HENDERSON

The 18th Century silver Libertas Americana medal, made to commemorate the American Revolution, was discovered during a valuation day held in Tynemouth by Newcastle auctioneers Anderson & Garland.

A member of the public brought the 1781 medal to the Tynemouth valuation event, unaware of its importance or value.

The Libertas medal was commissioned by Benjamin Franklin in 1782 and produced in Paris the following year, and commemorates the birth of the United States and the military victories at Saratoga in 1777 and Yorktown in 1781, which secured French support during the American Revolutionary War.

Struck in silver, a format far rarer than the more commonly encountered bronze issues, the medal is thought to have been reserved for dignitaries, including George Washington and senior French officials.

Benjamin Franklin played an important role as one of eight Founding Fathers, helping draft the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.

Fred Wyrley-Birch, director at Anderson & Garland said: "It is a rare privilege to handle an object so steeped in the story of nations.