(ca. 1798) AR Medal GW-68, Season Two: The Farmer MS(PCGS#784369)

November 2019 Baltimore Colonial Coins and Americana Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

20050

等级

XF40

价格

336,877

详细说明

Very Rare 1798 Silver Seasons Medal The Sower An Issued Example 1798 Washington Seasons medal. The Sower. Musante GW-68, Baker-171, Julian IP-53. Silver. EF-40 (PCGS). 48.1 mm. 712.3 grains. Fairly light silver gray with the obverse in particular exhibiting light mottled bluish gray toning. Lightly polished surfaces and a bit hairlined, yet traces of the original reflectivity are still visible in places. Clearly an awarded medal, perhaps one of those promised by Washington to a Cherokee deemed deserving. The integral suspension loop has been lost, which is not unusual as they seem to have proven too weak to support the hard wear that these medals occasionally endured. A small mounting mark is noted on the edge at 12:00, where the loop had been. There are scattered bumps and nicks consistent with a piece that was worn, yet no serious damage as sometimes seen. There is evidence of coarse filing on the rims on both sides that has been there a long time. However, it appears very much like a decorative element, perhaps added by the wearer. Significantly, the file marks themselves were obviously fairly deep and yet are quite worn, nearly completely through in places. There are no signs of rim bumps or attempted removal of same. Struck through a small piece of wire in the obverse exergue, which at first glance might appear as a small scratch at U.S.A. Revisiting the matter of the Cherokee as told above, it is notable that this piece was struck from the early state reverse die which seems to be rare, even among awarded medals. As such, there is a reasonable case to be made that it did indeed get awarded among the Cherokee, as it was this Nation that had been initially promised these medals, and this Nation whose want of them so plagued the Secretary of War during the long production delay. It would naturally follow that the first shipment of medals would have contained the earliest impressions and been awarded to those longest awaiting them. Provenance: Ex William Spohn Baker Collection, to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania by bequest, November 15, 1897. Click here for certification details from PCGS.