Washingtoniana
Circa 1844-1845 Series Numismatica Medal by John R. Bacon. Musante GW-101 Baker-130E. Bronze. Ship’s Prow and CUIVRE on edge. SP-64 (PCGS).
41.3 mm. 619.3 grains. Deep olive brown with some extremely subtle fading on the highest points of the design. A few scattered flecks of deeper patina and trivial spots, but virtually no handling worthy of mention otherwise. This piece, from the famed Garrett Collection, likely sat largely undisturbed in their cabinets from just a few decades after it was made, for the better part of a century. A most handsome example of this scarce medal. Scattered spalling lumps on the reverse as usual, but without the aggressive die finishing lines seen on some bronzes and which is typical of the white metal impressions. Prominent collar marks on the edge at 3:00 and 6:30 relative to the obverse. According to Musante, these dies were cut by John Bacon in 1844, and as the Paris Mint privy mark indicates a date range between 1842 and 1845, there is left only a brief window of time in which these medals were struck, in late 1844 or by June, 1845.
PCGS# 654965.
From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from our (Bowers and Ruddy's) sale of the Garrett Collection, Q169March 1981, lot 1786.
Estimate: $750