1860 Japanese Embassy Medal. Musante GW-355, Baker-368. Silver. Specimen-62 (PCGS).

53.0 mm. 981.6 grains. A superb piece and considering the precious composition, it may easily be considered among the most important medals from these dies. Musante cataloged a gold example which was struck for the head of the Japanese delegation, but we know nothing of its whereabouts today. This piece has been off the market since our 2014 sale of the Charles Wharton Collection, where we cataloged it, in part: "A fully prooflike beauty with lively reflectivity in the fields and lovely luster on the fine, satin-finished devices. Mottled blue, violet and pale green cabinet toning over medium silver gray. The blue dominates and makes the piece particularly attractive. Some hairlines and minor marks include a small reverse rim mark at 3:30, which helps identify the provenance." Fewer than five of these are known in silver, and such was not included in Garrett, Brand, Oechsner, Collins, Norweb, or Ford. It is a rare prize, indeed, and likely to be a highlight of the next collection it graces. The Japanese Embassy medal was struck by the Philadelphia firm of Bailey & Company, jewelers. A single gold specimen was made for the head of the delegation, while silver examples were presented to the other Japanese members. From the evidence of Collins:288 and Patterson:188, other medals were struck in bronze and white metal, some of the former being gilt. The significance of these latter compositions is uncertain. The Japanese delegation, which visited President Buchanan on May 17, 1860, presumably took their medals back to Japan with them.

From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from our (Stack's) sale of the Gilbert Steinberg Collection, May 1992, lot 130; Presidential Coin and Antique Co., Inc.'s sale of the Ganter Collections, Part II, November 1994, lot 254; our sale of the Charles A. Wharton Collection, March 2014, lot 2222.

Estimate: $ 5000