Circa 1777 Voltaire medal. Musante GW-1, Baker-78B. Copper. MS-62 BN (PCGS).40.1 mm. 340.7 grains. Another very attractive Voltaire medal with deep chocolate brown patina over most of both sides, though areas of lighter brown are noted around the head, beneath the truncation and on the reverse, arcing around the right side. Ancient pin scratches are seen around the obverse rim and in the lower right obverse field, all of which long ago toned over. Slightly irregular rims, as typically seen, but well-struck with nice definition throughout. A bit imperfect, yet still quite handsome overall. Small Baker number attribution in red on the edge.<p>We only made brief mention of it in the description above, but it is worth commenting further on the <em>portrait</em> on the first medallic Washington “portrait” medal, as it is clearly not of Washington. This begs the question, who is it? The answer is, probably no one in particular. The portrait has been suggested to be that of English philosopher Jeremy Bentham, and was cataloged as such by W. Elliot Woodward several times, as far back as May 1864. To suggest that a skilled medalist would simply substitute the portrait of one famous person for another on a laudatory medal verges upon absurdity. In more recent times, it has been pointed out that the portrait is extremely similar to that seen on a David Hume medal, so much so that we suspect that they are indeed by the same hand. What is interesting about the Hume medal is that the portrait does not look like Hume, either. This is almost certainly a generic portrait, in both cases, rendered in neoclassical style to depict a highly respected figure without unnecessary adornment or, in the case of Washington, without anything that might appear regal in nature.Ex William Spohn Baker Collection, to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania by bequest, November 15, 1897.
