1797 (ca. 1816) Halliday Medal. Musante GW-57, Baker-70. White Metal. Ornamented Rims. Specimen-62 (PCGS). 53.9 mm. 797.5 grains. Somewhat dusky gray across the high points and through the open fields, but brilliant prooflike texture outlines all the devices and remains through the protected recesses. The result is a strikingly attractive medal that has all the design features brilliantly accentuated. It is unclear what has caused the mellowing in the fields, as there does not seem to be any oxidation or concentration of serious marks or hairlines. The fields appear fairly smooth.<p>This is one of the ornamented rim variants, the norm for the white metal issues, though at least one plain rim example does exist and the rim ornamentations are found with different patterns. This one has a parallel line finishing, these being slightly diagonal with respect to the radii of the medal itself. It is heavily applied, apparently after striking, and catches the eye when the medal is rotated in the light.<p>Other white metal Hallidays offered by us recently have had either a fine latticework pattern or a distinctive chevron pattern in their rim ornamentation. It is unclear why these were applied, but we have theorized elsewhere that it may have been intended to even out irregularities in the rims resulting from later die state failures. This is by no means certain, however. What we can state clearly is that these pieces took a bit more effort to produce, so the makers made an <em>investment</em> in them that they did not for other pieces. That alone speaks to something special, and the end result is certainly very appealing. This is easily among the nicer examples we have seen. From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from our (Bowers and Merenas) sale of the Robert M. Miller, Sr. Collection, November 1992, lot 2130.
