[Twelfth President of the United States of America.]
ZACHARY TAYLOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 1849. Bust of President Taylor, facing the left.
PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP. Two hands clasped in token of amity; on the cuff of the left wrist three stripes, and buttons with the American eagle on them; the other wrist bare; above the hands, a calumet and tomahawk crossed—Indian emblems of peace and war.
The obverse of this medal, though not signed, was engraved by Franklin Peale, as may be seen by the following extract from a despatch of R. M. Patterson, director of the Mint, to Orlando Brown, office of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior, and dated Philadelphia, November 26th, 1849:
"Three Indian medal dies, bearing the head of President Taylor, were asked of the chief coiner of the Mint, Mr. Franklin Peale, by Mr. Medill, while Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and he agreed to the estimate of the cost which was $700. I have now the satisfaction of reporting that the dies are finished, and that Mr. Peale is ready to furnish, on sufficient notice, the medals which you may desire.