1789 (ca. 1792) Twigg Medal. Musante GW-38, Baker-65. White Metal. MS-62 (PCGS).35.8 mm. Satiny light gray surfaces are a bit more brilliant in the protected recesses while the high points of the motifs and the open fields have mellowed just enough to be noticed. Sharply struck and lustrous with just a few scattered marks and spots. When this was sold in 2010, the cataloger pointed out that it was a cut above the two outstanding Ford Collection medals which had sold just a few years earlier.<p>According to Musante, Charles Twigg was a toy maker in Birmingham, England, and took this portrait from an engraved portrait of Washington by T. Holloway, published in <em>The Literary and Biographical Magazine</em> of July 1792. An example of this engraving is in the internet only session of the present sale. He reportedly filed for bankruptcy in the late 1790s and was far from prolific as a medallist.<p>Immediately after the sale of this medal in 2010, the buyer called Stacks to comment that he had bought both Twigg medals in the sale, but really preferred the second one. Knowing that the present writer was a beginning collector of Washington medals, he offered the first one, which was bought without hesitation. With that, a fine numismatic friendship was begun, and many pleasant telephone visits were enjoyed.From the John M. Pack Collection. Earlier from our (Stacks) sale of The Patriot Collection, September 2010, lot 5368; Dr. Bill Michal, September 2010.
