Washingtoniana
Circa 1880s(?) California Medal by C.E. Mohrig and Albert Kuner. Musante GW-879A, Baker-410, var. Brass. Plain edge. MS-65 (PCGS).
39.7 mm. 245.3 grains. Uniface. Deep olive brass verging on golden brown with gentle pastel mottling throughout the prooflike fields. A very attractive specimen with just a couple of subtle spots hidden in the design. Struck from a later state of the obverse die than seen on the silver examples. Cracked from the rim through R of FOUNDER to the upper right corner of the wagon. Other less prominent cracks and differences are noted that indicate these uniface brass pieces were struck a little later than the silver originals. Baker did not know of them in 1885. We have handled only a couple of other examples in recent memory including that plated in the Musante reference. They are quite rare, seemingly equal to or more so than the silver ones.
PCGS# 655344.
From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from our (Stack's) sale of June 1991, lot 1180.
Estimate: $750