A rare George Washington medal dating to 1797 has been found in Virginia. The medal was found along with other artifacts at Alexandria at Shuter’s Hill, the site of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. (Actually the medal was excavated 10 years ago but was not identified and was stored away until now.) The following article identifies the medal as a coin, a token and a medal. George Washington Commemorative Coin Found in Alexandria
No idea. I would imagine a pretty penny. Maybe Coin World or NN will give a value when they report it.
The dies for this token were cut by Thomas Wyon of Birmingham, England. The reverse just has wording in 9 lines - GENERAL/OF THE AMERICAN/ARMIES, 1775./RESIGND THE COMMAND 1783/ELECTED PRESIDENT OF/THE UNITED STATES 1789./RE-ELECTED, 1793/RESIGN'D./1797. My 1999 reference lists value at $575 in EF and $800 in UNC. Diameter is 37mm, and is made of white metal. It has a plain edge. Also has the id of Raymond 11.
Thanks, CWT. That is interesting info. Any idea how many of these medals were struck? [The wording on the reverse is interesting - "ELECTED PRESIDENT OF/THE UNITED STATES 1789./RE-ELECTED, 1793/RESIGN'D./1797". I don't recall Washington resigning from office.]
Not so much resigned as chose not to accept the office again. You have to remember that at that point in time the idea of someone in power, especially the "top office", voluntarily stepping down from office was pretty much unheard of. Washington could have pretty much held onto the job and been "President for life" with no trouble. But instead he stepped down or "resigned" and allowed someone else to take over.
You're right - not many politicians voluntarily give up power. But Washington was a class act. He refused to have his image on US coins because (for one reason) he did not want to appear like the British monarchs that placed their images on British coins (and still do to this day). Washington died in 1799. I wonder if he knew he would not live long enough to complete a third term and walked away from it so he could enjoy what remained of his life. Interestingly, Presidents after Washington seemed to respect the precedent that Washington set by limiting his tenure to two terms. That is until FDR was elected 4 times.
And government respected his wishes with respect to his portrait on coinage until 1932 (Ok with a Commem in 1899, but he shared that and didn't have it to himself.) and since that time has now apparently deified him so that the God Washington will grade the quarter dollar evermore. Exactly what he didn't want to happen.
i have a coin that on the front side looks identical too this, but the back has an eagle and it is dated 1789... any idea what this is?
