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(1800) Washington Funeral Medal, Skull and Crossbones, Gold, Baker-165, GW-71A, MS63 NGC....
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Sold on Aug 15, 2023 for:
$372,000.00
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Description
(1800) Washington Funeral Medal, MS63
Skull and Crossbones Reverse, Musante GW-71A
Extremely Rare Gold Example
The Finer of Two Known
(1800) Washington Funeral Medal, Skull and Crossbones, Gold,
Baker-165, GW-71A, MS63 NGC. Plain edge, 203.2 grains. Dies
2-A.2. Holed at 12 o'clock for suspension, as usual. This variety
in gold has appeared in two of the great 20th century collections,
Garrett and Norweb. Although a third example is rumored, no such
piece has been seen, and the known population remains at only two
examples of which this is the finer. The other medal is AU Details,
Cleaned, NGC. It is the Garrett example.Based on George Fuld's earlier descriptions, Neil Musante identified the various obverse and reverse dies for Jacob Perkins' funeral medals. For the Skull and Crossbones design, Musante recorded the 2-A.2 die pair as GW-71A, the only variety struck in gold. (The Norweb cataloger noted the die pairing as 1-A.1, but that was a misattribution.)
This gorgeous example has fully reflective fields of medium greenish-gold color. Design details are strikingly bold on both obverse and reverse. Washington's profile stands out prominently amid the wreath motif and legend, HE IS IN HIS GLORY, THE WORLD IN TEARS. A four-line curving abbreviated notation of important dates from Washington's birth to his death appears on the reverse, with the Skull and Crossbones symbol in higher relief at the bottom. That well-known memento mori (remember that you must die) is also a Masonic emblem. Jacob Perkins, a Mason himself, honored Washington by striking these medals for mourners to wear during the February 11, 1800, funeral procession organized by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. The proceedings of that lodge recounts the ceremony in great detail, with the procession of over 1600 "Brethren" led by "Two Grand Pursuivants clad in sable robes and weeds, mounted on elegant white horses ... "
In his diary entry for that date, the officiating Reverend William Bentley of Salem discusses his post-funeral dinner with fellow lodge members Paul Revere, Isaiah Thomas, and Jacob Perkins, writing: "Mr. Perkins of Newburyport, so eminent for his Mechanic genius, & on this occasion so well known by his excellent medals, in a great variety, of our General Washington. He has also executed with great success, a Medallion on the same interesting occasion."
Each of the two known examples of this Perkins creation was probably struck over a circulating gold coin, likely a Spanish four escudos; no trace of the undertype is evident on the present piece. This gold Skull and Crossbones funeral medal is historically important, highly attractive, and extraordinarily rare.
In the April 1881 catalog of the L. F. Montanye sale, H.G. Sampson wrote: "An extremely rare, and probably unique funeral medal, which once sold for $105. Very beautiful impression."
This will be only the fifth public offering of Perkins' iconic medal since it was struck in 1800.
Ex: L.F. Montanye (H.G. Sampson, 4/1881), lot 565; (H.G. Sampson, 6/1882), lot 388; later, Liberty Holden; Emory May Norweb; Norweb Family Collection (Stack's, 11/2006), lot 2122; Donald G. Partrick Collection / FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2021), lot 3969.
From The Del Mar Collection.
Coin Index Numbers: (PCGS# 879861)
View all of [The Del Mar Collection ]
Auction Info
2023 August 15 - 20 ANA US Coins Signature® Auction #1364 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
August, 2023
15th-20th
Tuesday-Sunday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 49
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 3,373
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
20% of the successful bid per lot.
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