The medallion's obverse bears bust of Washington, left, with fasces to his rght, surrounded by thirteen stars. Around top, · GEORGE · WASHINGTON · ; across center, · PATER · - PAT-RIAE · / · M·DC·C·L - XX-XIX · ; signed under truncation, PHILIP · MARTINY · MODELER · DESIGN · AND · / COPYRIGHT · BY · AVGVSTVS · SAINT · GAVDENS ·
The reverse bears spread eagle with American shield on chest at top and coat of arms of New York at bottom left, within ring of stars. Across, TO · COM-MEMORATE / THE · INAV-GVRATION / OF · GEORGE · WASHINGTON / AS · FIRST · PRESIDENT · OF · AMERICA / AT · NEW · YORK · APRIL · XXX / · M·D·C·C·LXXXIX · / BY · AVTHORITY · OF / THE · COMMITTEE / ON · CELEBRATION / NEW · YORK · APRIL / · XXX · / ·M·D·C·C·LXXXIX ·
The medallion was designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and modeled by his assistant, Philip Martiny. Richard Watson Gilder, a close personal friend of St. Gaudens and member of the medal selection committee, called it "the first medal of real artistic value in this country."
The circular medallions typically measure between 112mm and 116mm in diameter and were cast in bronze, silver and gold by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island.
The silver medallions had a reported mintage of ten but only seven are still known to exist. Only one piece was produced in gold and originally owned by J.P. Morgan.
Many thanks to Stacks Bowers Galleries for granting me permission to use pictures of the silver variant. All rights to the image remain with Stacks Bowers Galleries.
References: Marqusee 346