Circa 1798 Washington Seasons Medal. The Home. Late reverse die state. Musante GW-69, Baker-172A, Julian IP-52. Copper. SP-58 (PCGS). <p>48.0 mm. 745.0 grains. Another superb Seasons medal in bronze, the third of three in the complete set which, in the Syd Martin Collection, stands out as a particularly noteworthy accomplishment. Not only are all three of these challenging types present, they are exceptional specimens. This is largely rich chocolate brown with generous steel blue and gold mottling through the fields. Glossy, with substantial prooflike character remaining in the fields. Boldly struck and so well preserved that every fine detail may be discerned. This includes light spalling across much of the devices, particularly around the hearth and baby. As this medal was produced with no integral hanger and it is the later die state with a chip in the loop of the D of PRESIDENT, it would be easy to surmise it to be a later restrike for collectors. Though it is the later of the observed die states, this also occurs on known presented pieces with hangers. Likewise, close study of the obviously original, presented silver <em>Home </em>medal in the previous lot reveals that this spalling occurred early, even before the late-state break in the reverse D. Traces of the spalling can be detected on the early silver medal in the tighter recesses. <p><p><p>As with all the Seasons medals offered here, tiny breaks connected the E and O of GEO and the N and G of WASHINGTON. These breaks were corrected by the hand of the maker on this medal, as with all but two of the silver pieces offered here. As mentioned in a previous description, this is but an interesting detail that speaks to a remarkable degree of quality control in the shop where these rare medals were struck. <p><p><p>This is one of just 16 survivors in the writer’s Census, and it is easily one of the two or three finest examples known in terms of overall condition. It is probably worth mentioning here for anyone who might consider waiting for a nice Native-issued piece with a hanger, just a single example has been observed with its original suspension loop intact. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex “B. Max Mehl” (George Justus), April 1964; John J. Ford, Jr; our (Stack’s) sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part XVI, October 2006, lot 106; Q. David Bowers; our (Stack’s) Americana Sale of September 2010, lot 4200; Anthony Terranova.
