Circa 1805 Peace of 1783 medal. Musante GW-92, Baker-58, Julian CM-5. Silver. SP-64 (PCGS).40.4 mm. 449.3 grains. Another silver example of this fabulous medal featuring a slightly later impression from reworked dies, and in considerably finer condition. The obverse is attractive medium gray with slight mottling and accents of soft blue and golden brown that come to life under magnification. The fields are deeply reflective and nicely accentuate the frosty devices. The rims are sharp to the touch, such is the preservation. The reverse is lighter, but displays the same bold reflectivity in the fields and more intense blue and golden brown toning in addition to highlights of deep gold and rose. Only trivial handling is noted in the fragile fields and there are no marks worthy of specific mention. This specimen has all of the aesthetic quality one could hope for on a silver medal of this vintage that has spent a century in a cabinet.
As noted in our earlier descriptions for Joseph Sansom’s Presidency Relinquished and C.C.A.U.S. medals, this is the fourth and final entry in his series celebrating the History of the Revolution, the title he himself used on the case that held the three medals of the series he retained for himself (a set that we have had the pleasure of selling at auction <em>intact</em> more than once). The C.C.A.U.S. medal was the first of the four, followed by the Presidency Relinquished medal, the Franklin/American Beaver medal, and finally, this one. They are immensely historic, engraved by the talented John Reich, extremely rare in silver, and rightfully prized by collectors to this day. This example is truly a pleasure to study and is probably among the finest, being much nicer than that in Sansom’s set. It would make a fine centerpiece for most collections of early American medals.Ex William Spohn Baker Collection, to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania by bequest, November 15, 1897.
