1790 Manly Medal. Original Dies. Musante GW-10, Baker-61. Silver. Name Removed. Unc Details--Damage (PCGS).47.2 mm. 744.0 grains. A lovely specimen of this prized early American medal, presented here in the rarest and most desirable of the available compositions. The medium gray silver surfaces are accented on both sides by soft blue and rose iridescence, accentuated by traces of prooflike reflectivity through the fields. Well-struck on a cast silver flan, with light natural roughness that didn’t strike out when the impression was made. However, the strike was quite good overall. The obverse is very sharp, with strong definition through all of the finer details. The reverse is just a hair weaker, due to a minor shifting between at least two impressions from the dies, resulting in a softening of some peripheral details. Fine outlines from the initial impression are easily seen in places, but the overall definition is better than on many Manly medals. This example has had the “Manly” name mostly tooled off the lower reverse, though traces of it remain visible. The associated date, 1790, is not affected, though the lower halves of these digits are lost to the interior grooves of the rim finishing, which seem to have been applied after striking as they vary in depth and breadth, medal to medal.It is not known why many Manly medals have the name of the publisher removed, but this occurs on specimens in all three compositions, silver, brass and white metal. It is believed that it might point to the distribution of some medals by another marketer, but this remains a mystery that hopefully will be unraveled someday. Whatever the case, the number that have been so treated point to a purpose that was temporally close to the source of manufacture and distribution. It was a pointed alteration, and thus is worthy of being deemed a distinct and collectable variant, rather than damage of any kind. The grade assessment from PCGS is probably not due to this tooling, but rather a few light scratches that cross the upper reverse. This said, the tooling of the name is a bit more aggressive than usually seen. The Manly medal is one of the classics of the Washington portrait series, essential for any serious collection of medals produced in honor of the first President. Indeed, it is believed to have been the very first such medal struck in the United States, and the effort was deemed respectable enough that documents were produced and signed by prominent figures attesting to the quality and trueness of the likeness of Washington. At least three such original documents survive, one of which was reproduced in our May 2004 sale of the Ford Collection, Part II. They are reported to variously bear the signatures of the governor of New York, mayor of New York City, Governor of Pennsylvania, Lafayette, and other notables. Nearly all Manly medals offered are struck in brass or, possibly another cupric alloy (brass being quite specifically an alloy of copper and tin), while impressions in silver are great rarities. An original in silver is a piece that only the most advanced collections will include. We are aware of just eight examples of this medal in silver, with two at the ANS. As a rule, many years pass between offerings. It has been nearly 17 years since we last sold an original Manly medal in silver.From our (Stacks) sale of the Herbert Oechsner Collection, September 1988, lot 1422; Jack Collins; our (Stacks) sale of April 1996, lot 60; our (American Numismatic Rarities) sale of January 2004, lot 1682.
