1758 Louisbourg Taken Medal . Betts-410, Eimer-657. MS60 PCGS Genuine. 43.8 mm, 786.9 grains. Rich yellow gold with b...
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Consign your material to be auctioned alongside these items on Wednesday, January 14, 2026 in Dallas, TX. Consignment Deadline for this auction is Monday, December 1, 2025.
Description
1758 Louisbourg Taken Medal, MS60 Genuine
First Battle Driving the French from Canada
One of Four Known in Gold
1758 Louisbourg Taken Medal . Betts-410, Eimer-657. MS60 PCGS
Genuine. 43.8 mm, 786.9 grains. Rich yellow gold with bright
lustrous, reflective fields. An exquisite piece, showing some faint
hairlines and a few minor scratches along with some light reverse
wear. These features show that this medal was actually worn as a
military decoration and was not a cabinet medal intended solely for
numismatic hands. Other awarded medals, including silver ones with
the same original hanger, are seen in grades as low as Fine. The
rims are sound and unbruised, and the raised perpendicular line
that shows the joint in the two-piece collar (sometimes called a
collar mark or "witness line") is visible near 2:00 on the
obverse.Perhaps the most historic and most majestically engraved of the conflict, the designs of this medal by Thomas Pingo are evocative, well-rendered, and historically accurate. The obverse legend "Partier in Bella" translates to "together in war," celebrating the unusually good cooperation between the army, symbolized by the standing grenadier, and the navy, evoked by the sailor with traditional Jack Tar hat. They gesture towards Louisbourg on a map that shows the extent of the American front, from Cuba to the Maritimes to the interior of the continent. The globe crushes a defeated France, shown in an exposed feminine form, her fleur-de-lis upside down and cast out of reach to the ground, barely hanging on to the edge of the continent. Above, Fame blows victory on a trumpet of triumph. The reverse shows, in fairly accurate detail, the geography of Louisbourg Harbor, the position of the batteries, and the final cataclysm of the battle, the burning of the Prudent while the town remained under heavy fire over the night of July 25-26, 1758.
A magnificent historical artifact, awarded to one of the main figures in a battle which was the first domino to fall on the path to Great Britain's total conquest of Canada. Admiral Boscawen himself presented these gold medals to his captains. Just four have survived to the present day, only three of which are in private hands, not including a few untraced appearances.
Roster of Betts-410 Louisbourg Taken Medal.
1. MS63 PCGS. Original recipient unknown. 43.8mm, 826.9 grains. Possibly Hunter Collection (S.H. Chapman, 12/1920), lot 170 (cost him $400); Virgil Brand Estate (New Netherlands Coin Company, 1953); John Ford Collection, Part XIV, (Stack's, 5/2006), lot 33; Americana Sale (Stack's, 9/2009), lot 6046; The Sydney F. Martin Collection (Stack's Bowers, 8/2023), lot 8093.
2. Mounted - PCGS Genuine. Unc. Details. Original recipient unknown. 43.8 mm, 786.9 grains. Peter Winkworth, via Chris Eimer (1/2004); The John W. Adams Collection of French and Indian War Medals / FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2012), lot 3896. The present specimen.
3. Awarded to Captain Matthew Buckle, captain of the HMS Vengeance, Boscawen's flagship. Descendants of Buckle; Morton and Eden (12/2003), lot 1574.
4. Awarded to Admiral Edward Boscawen. 43mm, 51.071g. American Numismatic Society (1966.9.1).
Untraced Examples:
A. Named on edge to Captain Collings. Published in Spink's Numismatic Chronicle, 1893.
B. Awarded to Sir Alexander Schomberg. Perhaps the same as 1 or 7. Published in The Numismatist, April 1932.
C. Awarded to Senior Midshipman George Young. Published in The Numismatist, April 1932. Perhaps the same as the Hunter-Brand or Adams examples.
D. Unknown recipient. British Museum, per Eimer, though no gold example appears on their online database. May be the same as one of the prior three.
E. The dies are said to be retained by Admiral Boscawen's family.
Auction Info
2026 January 14 - 18 FUN US Coins Signature® Auction #1390 (go to Auction Home page)
Bidding Begins Approx.
December
26th
Friday
Auction Dates
January
14th-18th
Wednesday-Sunday
Proxy Bidding Begins Approx.
58 Days
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Signature® Floor Sessions
Proxy bidding ends ten minutes prior to the session start time. Live Proxy bidding on Heritage Live now starts within 2 hours of when the auction opens for proxy bidding and continues through the live session. During the live auction event, bidding in person is encouraged, and Heritage Live includes streaming audio and often video during the event.
Signature®: Heritage Live®:After Internet bidding closes, live bidding will take place through www.HA.com/Live. Your secret maximum bid placed prior to the live event will compete against the live bids. To maximize your chances of winning, enter realistic secret maximum bids on our site. Many of our proxy bidders are successful at winning lots in these auctions, and usually below their secret maximum. You can also place last minute bids directly with us by e-mailing Bid@HA.com or calling 1-866-835-3243. (Important note: Due to software and Internet latency, live bids may not register in time, so enter realistic proxy bids.)
Signature® Floor Sessions
Proxy bidding ends ten minutes prior to the session start time. Live Proxy bidding on Heritage Live now starts within 2 hours of when the auction opens for proxy bidding and continues through the live session. During the live auction event, bidding in person is encouraged, and Heritage Live includes streaming audio and often video during the event.
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