1826 Erie Canal Completion. HK-1. Rarity-6. White Metal. MS-61 (PCGS). 45 mm. An exceptionally bright and lustrous example of this scarce, conditionally challenging type. Satin to semi-reflective surfaces are lightly toned in iridescent gold. Sharply struck and rather nicely preserved given the assigned numeric grade, we note generally faint, wispy handling marks that are singularly inconspicuous to the eye. This medal was struck to mark the completion of the Erie Canal, an enormous project with ground broken on July 4, 1817, and completed on October 26, 1825. Issued by the Common Council of the City of New York, with dies engraved by Charles Cushing Wright after designs by Archibald Robertson. As a perusal of our auction archives from recent years confirms, survivors are mostly EF or AU, seldom Mint State. From our (Bowers and Merenas) Rogers M. Fred, Jr. and Peter A. Ward, M.D. Collections sale, November 1995, lot 1298. Lot tag included.
