Undated (ca. 1820s-30s?) Benjamin Franklin Beehive Medal. Greenslet GM-4, Fuld FR.M.NL.9. Brass. Very Fine.

35.5 mm. A very crude production, with a portrait of Franklin on the obverse and a German inscription on the reverse that translates to "Diligence and rules protect the people's wealth." The surfaces are glossy brassy-gold and olive with a few intermingled swirls of darker rose-gray. The texture is smooth and satiny with hardly any surface marks, just a few trivial edge nicks that are easily overlooked. Other specimens seen by your cataloger look about the same in terms of look, texture, and overall quality, although this piece is far smoother and more visually appealing that the Ford:XXIII specimen that was lightly granular overall. A puzzling piece, first displayed by Thomas Elder in 1917 according to Fuld. Quite rare, Greenslet called it R-8 on his 10-point scale. While this could have been produced in Germany, the texture doesn't have much in common with most early 19th century German medals. Its crudity, rather like some election medalets of the William Henry Harrison campaign, and the presence of a cluster of 17 stars atop the reverse, may suggest an American origin and audience. Enormous numbers of German-speaking Americans lived in Pennsylvania, among other regions, in the early 19th century. While the stars may not have numbered 17 for any particular reason, the 17th state entered the Union in 1803 (Ohio) and the 18th joined in 1812 (Louisiana). A fascinating medal, one of the classics in the Franklin series.

From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from our (Bowers and Merena's) sale of the Higgins Collection, January 1988, lot 3224; our (Bowers and Merena's) Saccone Collection sale, November 1989, lot 3084. Lot tag included. Saccone Collection sale lot tag included.

Estimate: $ 750