Circa 1858 Civic Procession / Lovett’s Equestrian muling. Musante GW-131, Baker-Unlisted. Brass. Plain edge. MS-64 (PCGS).32.3 mm. Virtually brilliant greenish gold brass. Satiny on the devices and robustly reflective in the fields. Lightly struck on a thin planchet with poor definition to Washington’s portrait. One tiny remnant of a fingerprint is noted in the lower reverse. A very rare muling that might have been struck as late as 1878, according to Musante. This is the first one we recall having seen and it is the Musante plate piece.>p>One observation worth making regarding rare variants and unexpected mulings of this time period is that such items were struck during Baker’s lifetime. As he would have been a well-known collector, even potentially unique pieces from the diesinkers shops might have easily gravitated toward his cabinet (or even have been made for him). There are a number of pieces in this cabinet that might well fit this scenario, but it is impossible to know with certainty.Ex William Spohn Baker Collection, to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania by bequest, November 15, 1897.
