1799 (ca. 1800) Funeral Urn Medal. Silver. 29 mm. Musante GW-70, Baker-166a, Fuld Dies 1-B. Rarity-6. VF-30 (PCGS).129.4 grains. Pierced for suspension at 12 oclock, as issued. A truly exceptional specimen from this prized type with lavender fields and lighter dove-grey across the high points. Blooms of considerable luster glow around the design elements and suggest a higher technical grade than what has been assigned. Nearly full denticles surround the borders, with just a trivial softness at the upper reverse. Evenly worn and overall smooth, with just a few trivial lines near the obverse bust seen under scrutiny. This sharp and attractive example is a true prize for the Washington specialist. <p><p><p>This piece is an 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 Virginia on December 14, 1799 plunged the nation into an extended period of mourning. In the following months, several events were held in commemoration across the country. The city of Boston staged two funeral processions, one on February 11, 1800 and a second on February 22, Washingtons birthday. 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 as seen here. <p><p>This medal is the product of Jacob Perkins, a talented engraver and inventor of Newburyport, Massachusetts. 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. They were intended to be worn, and as a consequence, very few specimens are found undamaged. The present piece remains a superior survivor from this issue and is sure to command significant interest.From the Robert M. Martin Collection.
