1776 (1789) Washington Before Boston Reverse Cliche. As Betts-542, GW-09-T1-R, As Baker-47. Tin, 63 mm. MS-62 (PCGS). An impressive and crisply defined reverse cliche from the original reverse of the Washington Before Boston medal, produced by DuVivier in 1789. The surfaces show lustrous silver gray intermingled with darker pewter gray tones over boldly detailed devices. Some scattered light surfaces marks and abrasions are seen, mostly in the expanse of the upper field, but there is no damage or significant nicks. A bit of speckling is hidden within the central designs, mostly at right. The level of detail showcased here is unusual, bolder than typical by virtue of both the composition and the early die state. An exceptionally attractive and exceptionally important piece.<p><p>Trimmed to 63 mm, just above the tops of the peripheral legends, this cliche is a seeming match to the similarly truncated obverse cliche sold in our November 2019 John W. Adams sale as lot 2005. Though this piece is in somewhat higher grade, its color, surfaces, and backing paper all suggest that they could have been a matched set at some point. That cliche realized $10,800 at the time. <p><p>Musante estimated that three to six reverse cliches of the Washington Before Boston medal are known, citing two: the example at the Massachusetts Historical Society and the one in a matched set sold in Garrett IV as lot 1744. Adams and Bentley did not cover the cliches of this type in their census. We cannot add another to the two listed by Musante and this one, though we suspect others exist in institutions in the United States or France. As best we can tell, not a single one has sold since the 1981 Garrett IV sale.<p> From the Richard Margolis Collection. Earlier from Steve Itkin at the New York International Numismatic Convention, December 1990.
