Cast Copy 1779 Francois-Louis Teissedre de Fleury Assault on Stony Point Medal. Original Dies. As Adams-Bentley 6, Betts-566, Julian MI-4. Lead. Extremely Fine.46 mm. 29.68 grams. This is a well made example, all design elements boldly to sharply rendered with just a trace of high point rub from old collector handling. The texture is microscopically rough, generally as made, although a few minor obverse edge marks are noted, as is another in the right reverse field. Deep, rich steel-gray overall with mauve highlights at the left and right borders.<p>De Fleurys medal appears to be the earliest Comitia Americana medal completed, which defies logic, considering that De Fleury was a relatively low rank (lieutenant colonel) and was a foreign national. The French officer is considered the father of the Army Corps of Engineers, allegorically represented here as Mars trampling a British standard amid the ruins of the British fort at Stony Point, north of New York City on the Hudson River. The original dies were completed in 1780 - nearly a decade before General Washingtons medal was finished. By the mid 19th century, this was a classic rarity among early American medals, and a profusion of electrotypes and other copies were made, as here. By 1880, the U.S. Mint had lost out on so much business (by having no De Fleury medals of any kind to offer) that they borrowed a specimen, produced new dies, and struck copies for the rest of the 19th century. Today, as then, the De Fleury is one of the stoppers of the Comitia Americana series, nearly as rare as original Anthony Wayne or Nathaniel Greene medals, though not as rare as the uncollectible John Stewart. With the swell of interest in collecting Comitia Americana medals in the last five to 10 years, this medal appears on more want lists than ever. The present cast copy would serve as a nice representative of this elusive type, as it once did for earlier generations of collectors.Collector envelope included.
