1799 (ca. 1800) Washington Funeral Urn Medal. Musante GW-70, Baker-166A, Fuld Dies 1-B. AU-50 (PCGS).29.2 mm. 149.7 grains. Neatly pierced for suspension at 12 oclock. An immensely handsome example of this historic and very popular medal. Made by Jacob Perkins of Newburyport, Massachusetts, it is one of the few medallic memorials to Washington that we can pinpoint tightly to a time and place, as Perkins made these sometime between mid-to-late December 1799 and January 1800. Though several dies were made and there were two major types, Perkins quite remarkably was offering these for sale by January 3rd. This example, while clearly sold by Perkins and likely worn proudly by a patriot in the environs of Boston, has seen no mishandling. A bit of light wear is visible, but the surfaces are essentially problem-free otherwise. Lovely medium gray silver with some slightly deeper patina in the protected recesses. Just a few tiny marks are noted. A minor anomaly at the rim near the customary piercing, as often seen. Beautifully struck with inviting evenness and sharpness throughout. One of the markers of this particular reverse is the overlap of the final digit 9 and the lower right corner of the urns base. On this piece, the sharpness is such that the full shape of the overlying 9 punch can be discerned through the corner of the base.
