SCARCE Ca. 1766 WILLIAM PITT ("STAMP TAX") MEDAL: GUARANTEED ORIGINAL!

Description

SCARCE Ca. 1766 WILLIAM PITT ("STAMP TAX") MEDAL: GUARANTEED ORIGINAL!
William Pitt Medal
ca. 1766
Place Made United States, North America
Copper
Overall (Medal): 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)
Condition: Nice with uniform patination. SOME LOSS OF DETAIL. Wear includes loss
of relief to letters in several words on reverse. See photo. Note: This medal is
in far better condition than most when found.
Copper struck medal with obverse showing clothed bust of William Pitt
with legend: "GVLIELMVS PITT". Reverse bears inscription:
"THE MAN/WHO . HAVING/SAVED THE/PARENT .
PLEADED/WITH SUCCESS/FOR HER/CHILDREN."
William Pitt the Elder was a prominent British parliamentarian.
He served as prime minister between 1766 and 1768.
Prior to this Pitt had been an outspoken critic of the Stamp Act,
a primary catalyst of uniting the Colonies for the coming Revolutionary War.
Here are excerpts from his 1766 speech to Parliament,
describing it as a dangerous policy founded on undemocratic principles.
“Gentlemen, I have been charged with giving birth to sedition in America.
They have spoken their sentiments with freedom against this unhappy act,
and that freedom has become their crime. Sorry I am to hear the liberty of speech in this house imputed as a crime. No gentleman ought to be afraid to exercise it…
The gentleman tells us America is obstinate; America is almost in open rebellion.
I rejoice that America has resisted.
The Americans have not acted in all things with prudence and temper.
They have been wronged. They have been driven to madness by injustice.
Will you punish them for the madness you have occasioned?
I
will beg leave to tell the House what is really my opinion.
It is that the Stamp Act be repealed absolutely, totally, and immediately!”