(1800) AR Medal Washington Funeral, Urn MS(PCGS#928)

November 2025 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

4090

Grade

AU58

Price

9,600

Lot Description

29.4 mm. 145.3 grains. Neatly pierced for suspension at 12 o'clock. A lovely toned specimen of this famous rarity. The obverse exhibits somewhat deep rose mottling at the center, while toward the rims the colors deepen to slate and blue-green. The reverse is a bit lighter overall with more silver gray remaining at the center, while rings of blue and gold iridescence create a slight bull's eye appearance. Soft prooflike texture remains and the detail is superb throughout, this being a carefully handled example. Notwithstanding, a couple of faint scratches and other evidence of gentle wear are noted, including slight distortion at the suspension hole. A really handsome medal with excellent sharpness. This was the best example in silver from Ford, Part II, where Michael Hodder subtitled it, "The Finest Seen by the Cataloguer."<p>The short window of time between Washington's passing, on December 14 and the first of the numerous funeral processions introduces a degree of wonderment that Perkins could accomplish so much engraving and striking of what appears to be a considerable number of these medals in time for the targeted events. While Washington died on the 14th, news of the day did not travel quickly, and yet, Perkins was advertising the medals for sale as early as January 3. With at least 14 dies having been individually hand-made, he must have devoted every waking hour to these issues from the time he learned the news to the time of sale. Unlike many Washington portrait medals, these were purpose driven, made specifically for display during Washington's funeral processions. As such, they are far more historic and significant than many of the other early Washington medals.