A Rare Silver Medal Commemorating Commodore M.C. Perry's 1854 Expedition to Japan, cut by Francis N. Mitchell for the U.S. Mint, 1856

the obverse with the profile of Commodore Perry facing left and inscribed COMMODORE M.C. PERRY; the reverse with a wreath formed of crossed laurel and oak sprays enclosing presentation inscription above a naval crown inscribed MISSISSIPPI, signed F.N. MITCHELL.F. under Perry profile

good condition
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The inscription on the obverse reads: PRESENTED TO COM. M.C. PERRY SPECIALMINISTER FROM THE U.S.A. BY MERCHANTS OF BOSTON IN TOKEN OF THEIR APPRECIATION OF HIS SERVICES IN NEGOTIATING THE TREATY WITH JAPAN SIGNED AT YOKU-HAMA MARCH 31, AND WITH LEW CHEW AT NAPA, JULY 11, 1854.

In 1852 Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794-1858) embarked from Norfolk,VA for Japan in attempts to establish a trade treaty.  At the time of this mission Japanese trade was only open to the Dutch, and was available only in limited quantities.  When Perry's squadron of five black-hulled steam frigates ported in Uraga Harbor on 8 July 1853, they were told by the representatives of the Tokugawa Shogunate to continue to Nagasaki, the only Japanese port currently open to foreigners.  Perry refused to leave.  He demanded permission to present a tentative treaty from President Millard Fillmore, and threatened military force if his request was denied.  The Japanese understood that their military was no match for the advanced weaponry of Perry's intimidating "Black Ships", and Perry was granted permission to present his treaty.  Upon Perry's return to Japan in February 1854, he found that Japanese were prepared to meet nearly all of the conditions outlined in the initial treaty.  On 31 March 1854 he signed the Convention of Kanagawa and departed for the United States.  With the $20,000 awarded by Congress for his accomplishments, Perry published a three-volume report on his expedition titled: Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan.

Commissioned by the merchants of Boston and manufactured by the U.S. Mint in 1856, this medal was one of twenty silver medals gifted to Perry's high-ranking officers.  An identical medal struck in gold was awarded to Perry himself, and four hundred bronze medals were given to lower ranking officers and key personnel.  This medal is listed in R.W. Julian's Medals of the United States Mint, The First Century, 1792-1892.  Julian notes of the bronze medals that those produced by the Mint prior to 1892, "...must be considered, at best, very scarce."