1799 (1800) Washington Funeral Urn Medal. Musante GW-70, Baker-166C, Dies 4 C-2. White Metal. EF Details--Damage (PCGS).29.3 mm. 122.7 grains. Pierced for suspension at 12 oclock, as are all. Apparently silvered on the satiny obverse, which has taken on a rose and blue-green patina. The reverse exhibits only a faint trace of similar toning. A bit handled with some scattered fine marks on the obverse and a couple of more pronounced reverse digs that were heavy enough to slightly bend the flan. These are seen in the legend at 8 oclock and at the left base of the urn. To accentuate the positive is easy, as most obviously worn white metal pieces did not survive in nearly as nice condition as this one, the metal being just too soft for prolonged use. Additionally, the softer composition struck up better and on this piece the details in the upper urn, while not complete, are certainly better executed than on the reverses of some silver examples we have offered in the past. With the demand for these medals on the rise in recent years, any Washington funeral medal is a good one for a collector to capture. The Baker number on the edge in red.Ex William Spohn Baker Collection, to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania by bequest, November 15, 1897; our sale of the Collections of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, November 2019 Baltimore Auction, lot 20056.
