1799 (ca. 1800) Washington Funeral Urn Medal. White Metal. GW on Base. Musante GW-72a, Baker-167, Fuld Dies 6-F. Rarity-7. AU-53 (PCGS).Pierced for suspension at 12 oclock. This is a significant offering for the advanced Washingtonia enthusiast and is one of only a handful of examples of this Funeral Urn medal type known to exist. Both Crosby and Baker considered this type to be unique in the late 19th century. By 1999, the authors of Medallic Portraits of Washington indicated that only 3 examples of the GW on Base variety were known--only one of which was from the Fuld 6-F dies as offered here. More recently, specialist Neil Musante estimated in Medallic Washington (2016) that perhaps just 2 to 7 examples survive of the overall GW on Base type. We are aware of only 5 distinct specimens from the Fuld 6-F dies, and the present example ranks as the clear finest of this population. The most recent offering of an example from this roster was our August 2013 sale of the EF-45 (NGC) example which realized $22,325.The five known specimens from these dies are as follows:1. AU-53 (PCGS). The present example. 2. EF-45 (NGC). Ex our August 2013 ANA Auction, lot 4010, where it realized $22,325. The Musante plate coin illustrated in Medallic Washington. 3. "Nearly Very Fine." Ex our (Stacks) January 2007 Americana Sale, lot #6711 where it brought the impressive sum of $27,600. Holed, with a small planchet clip at 10:00 relative to the obverse.4. "Very Good." Ex our (Bowers and Ruddys) sale of the William Siek Collection, July 1981, lot 2650, where it realized $500. The Rulau-Fuld plate coin illustrated in Medallic Portraits of Washington. Holed, with a small planchet clip at 10:00 relative to the obverse. It is very similar in appearance to the Americana specimen above, but holed in a slightly different location.5. Fine Details-Damaged (NGC). Ex Heritages April 2013 auction, lot 10268, where it realized $4,406. This lustrous and original example is a true prize for the Washington specialist. A historic memento representing the grief the United States experienced with the loss of its first president. The death of George Washington at his Mount Vernon home in Fairfax County, Virginia on December 14, 1799 plunged the nation into an extended period of mourning. Events were held in commemoration across the country. In 1800, the city of Boston staged two funeral processions, one on February 11 and a second on February 22. For both occasions, special funeral medals were produced in two designs. The medals made for the first procession bear a skull and crossbones motif, while the medals produced for the later event have a funeral urn instead. They were struck in white metal, silver, and a few in gold, and were nearly all pierced so that they could be hung around the necks of attendees. The medals were meant to be worn, and as a consequence, very few surviving specimens are found uncirculated or even undamaged.
