1798 Washington Seasons medal. The Shepherd. Musante GW-67, Baker-170, Julian IP-51. Silver. AU-55 (PCGS).48.1 mm. 722.9 grains. Evidence of light polishing is noted, which is not unusual for such medals. Still, the fields on both sides retain considerable original reflectivity and flash nicely when rotated in the light. The obverse was the side open to the air in Baker’s cabinet, and exhibits light violet, blue and rose toning mottled through the fields. The reverse is more brilliant, though some soft bluish gray is noted in the recesses through the wreath, around the letters and close to the rim. There are scattered small nicks and abrasions consistent with a medal that has been awarded and perhaps worn for a short time. This said, we don’t see clear evidence of a lost suspension loop, but the remnants of the Baker number, in red, are on the edge in a position where a loop might have been attached. It is difficult to tell with certainty if there was originally one present.<p>The Seasons medals are seen with two distinctive states of the reverse die, a die shared across all three issues. The current example is from the late state, with crumbling in the upper left interior of the D of PRESIDENT. This feature is seen on all of the copper Seasons medals offered here, illustrating that these (and the present silver one) were struck after the other two silver examples in the Baker Collection. This only places them in rough sequence, however, as the die state might well represent only a day or less between the earliest state and the latest, so by no means are we implying that restrikes were produced. There is no evidence that any were.<p>We know that Seasons medals were issued with suspension loops for presentation and without them for specimens intended for medal cabinets. The presence of the reverse break is not a distinguishing factor between those two intended purposes. We are aware of both bronze and silver medals looped for presentation that exhibit the break. The die seems to have broken somewhat early, as it is commonly seen.Ex William Spohn Baker Collection, to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania by bequest, November 15, 1897.
