Washingtoniana
1832 Philadelphia Civic Procession Medal. Original. Musante GW-130, Baker-160. Silver. Plain edge. MS-64 (PCGS).
32.3 mm. 240.8 grains. Medium gray silver accented by pleasing soft blue-green and gold mottling across both sides. Prooflike in the fields, an effect a bit more pronounced on the obverse where the fields are more protected. Excellent quality and eye appeal with light handling but no distracting marks. Sharply struck with bold detail. The reverse is somewhat dramatically double struck in a medal-turn alignment. This is an “original” impression, likely struck close to 1832 and before any evidence of the reverse breaks appeared. The original issued pieces, those struck at the Civic Procession and distributed from the parade float were white metal, while these silver ones were likely struck as presentation pieces for organizers or perhaps those associated with the Gold and Silver Artificers of Philadelphia. These are rare in silver and sometimes found pierced, the latter perhaps worn during the procession and thus struck prior to it. This is a particularly nice one, perhaps the most interesting to study for its dramatic double striking. It is the plate piece in the 1999 Rulau-Fuld revision of Baker. As such, it would be hard to improve upon.
PCGS# 659423.
From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from Catherine E. Bullowa, September 1984, lot 95.
Estimate: $1000