What type of coin is this?

Question

i have a thomas jefferson gold or bronse colored coin with hand shaking on the back & above them are a hatchet & pipe with the words peace and friendship, it also had the year 1801 on the front.

Answer 1

Its probably a medal and not a coin, specifically a Jefferson Peace Medal.  Some of these were carried by the Lewis and Clark Expedition and handed out as a token of friendship to native tribes encountered in their journey.  IF it is a genuine medal from that period, it is probably quite valuable.  The problem would be authentication.  Im sure the medal has been reproduced (copied, counterfeited) many times.

http://library.boisestate.edu/Special/Pe...

http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/holland/masc/...

http://www.lewis-clark.org/content/conte...