For the Corps of Discovery, as for all diplomats among the Indians, the exchanging of gifts was very important. Lewis had requisitioned and purchased over a quarter of a ton of "Indian Presents", valued at $669.50 in 1803 dollars (almost a quarter of the estimated cost of the trip). This included but certainly wasn't limited to several dozen yards of silk ribbon (like the surviving piece we saw, given to one of the Nez Perce boys when Clark first encountered the tribe), 48 ruffled calico shirts, 2800 fish hooks, 8.5 pounds of red beads, 4600 needles, 12 dozen pocket mirrors, and 2 corn mills.
Even with all those items the expedition depended on powder and lead, guns and the many items made by their blacksmiths to augment their supply of gifts. There was one item that they could not possibly fabricate or replace though, peace medals. Such medals were a staple of gift giving by all the European countries who dealt with Indians. Such medals bore the likeness of the country's ruler on the front and a seal or sentiment on the back. With the founding of our country, we followed suit and made such peace medals for every president until the end of the treaty-making period.
Washington medals are the rarest, simply because during his administration our mint didn't yet have the capability of making a two sided medal. The Washington medals were made so that the separate front and back sides could be bound together, with a wooden disk between, by a clamping rim. These fragile medals did not easily survive long term use.
By the time the Corps of Discovery headed west the U. S. Mint was up and running, allowing Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to take a large assortment of Jefferson medals with them. The one pictured here is the largest, three inches in diameter, and designed to be given to head chiefs (a non-existent position recognized by all Western countries but by no Indian tribe along the Lewis & Clark route). The Corps also carried medium-sized medals to be given to lesser dignitaries and small ones, the size of a half-dollar, to be given to "helpful warriors and the like".
The Corps gave them all away. But don't expect to find one along the route. Most tribes considered the medals to be personalized to the individual who received it. They were not, as a rule, passed on to heirs but buried with the holder. The Jefferson medal we saw at the Nez Perce museum, one carried west by Lewis & Clark, is exceedingly rare. But even serious collectors can be mollified, for genuine Jefferson peace medals are still available. The U. S. Mint doesn't throw away anything important. The original dies for the Jefferson medals not only exist, they are still useable. The medal pictured here was made in the 1990's, using the original dies.
Enough for today. We proceed on.
