George Washington

The medal's obverse bears bust of Washington, facing right. Around, (star) GEORGE WASHINGTON. (star) / BORN FEB. 22 1732. (star) DIED DEC. 14 1799.; signed under truncation, Paquet. F.

The reverse bears sculpture bust of Washington on top of medal cabinet, surrounded by banister. Around, (star) WASHINGTON CABINET OF MEDALS, U.S. MINT. (star) / INAUGURATED FEB. 22 1860.

On February 22, 1860, the Washington Cabinet of Medals was formally inaugurated at the United States Mint in Philadelphia. This culminated over a decade of collecting medallic remembrances of our first president by mint officials and others. Julian reports that James Ross Snowdon might have had this and an earlier medal struck solely to add his own contribution to the Mint's growing collection of Washingtonia.

The medal measures 59.7mm in diameter and was struck by the U.S. Mint. No mintage is reported.

References:   Marqusee 312

The medal's obverse bears Washington portrait, facing quarter-left, under eye in the sky with radiant beams of light; underneath, streamer with inscription (acorn) SUO (acorn) SE (acorn) ROE - ORE (acorn) FIRMAT (acorn); right angle and compass at center bottom. Around bottom half, HE WAS A BROTHER - OF THE MYSTIC TIE

The reverse seal of Fredericksburg lodge with masonic symbols and Washington's progress throught the masonic hierarchy. From left throught bottom, to right, NOV. 4 / 5752 / ENTERED / APPRENTICE; MAR. 3 - 5753 / FELLOW - CRAFT; AUG. 4 / 5753 / MASTER / MASON; signed at bottom, I. F. WOOD, DES. G. H. LOVETT, FEC.

The dates on the medal are numbered in the masonic calendar, which can be a bit confusing to non-masons, but we can simply subtract 4,000 from the numbers to get the "common" calendar years. Washington advanced quickly through the apprenticeship stage to emerge a master mason at the young age of 21.

The medal was designed by Isaac F. Wood and the dies were cut by George H. Lovett. It measures 51mm in diameter and was struck in bronze.  It appears to be a pretty rare medal though I am not aware of its exact mintage.

This medal's obverse bears bust of George Washington, facing right. Around, GEORGE - WASHINGTON; signed on truncation, GHL

The reverse bears seals of Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts surrounded by wreath. Around, TO COMMEMORATE THE CENTENNIAL OF THE BATTLE OF BENNINGTON / AT BENNINGTON. VT. / AUG. 16 / 1877 /  ISSUED BY THE VT. NUMISMATIC SOCIETY / 1878; within wreath, over their respective seals, VT., N.H., MASS.; AUG. - 16 / 1777

The Battle of Bennington was fought on August 16, 1777, in Walloomsac, New York, about 10 miles (16 km) from its namesake Bennington, Vermont. A rebel force of 2,000 men, primarily composed of New Hampshire and Massachusetts militiamen, led by General John Stark, and reinforced by Vermont militiamen led by Colonel Seth Warner and members of the Green Mountain Boys, decisively defeated a detachment of General John Burgoyne's army led by Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum, and supported by additional men under Lieutenant Colonel Heinrich von Breymann.

The battle was a major strategic success for the American cause; it reduced Burgoyne's army in size by almost 1,000 men, led his Indian support to largely abandon him, and deprived him of much-needed supplies, such as mounts for his cavalry regiments, draft animals and provisions; all factors that contributed to Burgoyne's eventual defeat at Saratoga. The victory galvanized colonial support for the independence movement, and played a key role in bringing France into the war on the rebel side. The battle's anniversary is celebrated in the state of Vermont as Bennington Battle Day.

This medal appears to be quite rare because I cannot find any documentation about it.  Issued by the Vermont Numismatic Society in its first official year of existence, I believe it to have been one of a set of two medals that shared the same reverse and both commemorated the Battle of Bennington Centennial. The other medal bears General Stark, the New Hampshire Revolutionary War hero, on the obverse.

Maybe a so-called dollar specialist or someone with more experience can provide more information about this handsome little medal.

The circular medal measures 40mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

References:   ANS 6

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

References:   Baxter 273

References:   MACo 1932-025, Marqusee 169

References:   ANS 47, MACo 1939-055, 3000

References:   Marqusee 227