Washingtoniana

(ca. 1830) Series Numismatica Medal. Wasington Issue. By Vivier. Musante GW-100, Baker-131A. Bronzed Copper. MONACHII Edge. MS-66 BN (NGC).

Glossy light chocolate brown tending towards light tan, the surfaces are essentially pristine, the devices and legends on the obverse showing closely overlapping double striking. As we wrote in the catalog of the Baker Collection in November 2019, "Baker had assumed that the spelling 'WASINGTON' was a die error that was later corrected and thus ordered these medals accordingly. However, Musante has shown that this is actually the later iteration. He wrote that the production of the medals was moved from Paris to Munich in 1826, and that most of the medals struck there are so-indicated by MONACHII on the edge. Production later returned to Paris and ended in 1846. The spelling 'WASINGTON' was pointed out by Musante to be a Germanic one, corresponding to the production commencing in Germany. That some are not marked on the edge suggests that perhaps production with the German dies simply continued in Paris after the operation was returned to France, or that the edge mark was deemed unnecessary before striking ended in Germany. The lack of any Paris Mint privy mark would suggest the latter." The Baker specimen, graded MS-63, brought $1680 when offered in our November 2019 Baltimore Auction. This example is finer than Baker's by 3 grade points and is the finest graded example at either NGC or PCGS.

Estimate: $ 1000