George Washington
| birth | 2/22/1732 in Westmoreland Conty, Virginia |  |
|---|---|---|
| death | 3/4/1797 at Mount Vernon | |
| parents | Augustine Washington and Mary Ball | |
| offices |
Major in Virginia Militia (early 1750s), Colonel in Virginia Militia (1755), Commander Virginia Militia (1755-1757), Member Virginia House of Burgesses (1758-1775), Delegate to First Continental Congress (1775), Commander of the Continental Army (1775-1783), U.S. President (1789-1797) |
There are many excellent books and web resources about George Washington and I assume that most people who are interested in American art medals are somewhat educated in American History so I'll just provide a very brief biography and leave it to the interested reader to find out more about this great President.
George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Born into the provincial gentry of Colonial Virginia, his family were wealthy planters who owned tobacco plantations and slaves which he inherited. He owned hundreds of slaves throughout his lifetime, but his views on slavery evolved. In his youth he became a senior British officer in the colonial militia during the first stages of the French and Indian War.
He was given command of the Continental Army by the Second Continental Congress during the American Revolution and led its forces to military victory over the next six years. After victory had been finalized in 1783, Washington resigned as commander-in-chief rather than seize power, proving his opposition to dictatorship and his commitment to American republicanism.
He presided over the Second Constitutional Convention in 1787 and was elected first President of the United States in 1789. He held that office for two terms until 1797 and did not seek reelection for a third term, setting a tradtition that would not be broken until Franklin D. Roosevelt's unprecedented third term in 1940.
Washington died on March 4, 1797 at Mount Vernon and was famously eulogized as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."
He is often called the "father of his country."
This is the 6th medal issued by the American Numismatic Society.
The obverse bears full length statue of Washington surrounded by rays of light and circle of thirteen stars. On left and right of statue, 1783 - 1883; signed below pedestal, C.OSBORNE INV. LEA AHLBORN FEC.
The reverse bears the seal of the New York Chamber of Commerce flanked on left and right by those of the City of New York and the American Numismatic Society. Twelve-line inscription reading TO COMMEMORATE / THE / CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY / OF THE EVACUATION OF NEW YORK / BY THE BRITISH, / AND THE ERECTION / BY THE / CHAMBER OF COMMERCE / OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK OF THE / WASHINGTON STATUE / IN / WALL STREET
Evacuation Day was a local holiday celebrated in New York to mark the departure of the last British troops from New York City on November 25, 1783.
The medal measures 57mm in diameter and was struck by the Royal Swedish Mint in bronze and silver. A total of 332 bronze pieces and only one silver were produced between 1883 and 1885.
The obverse bears likeness of George Washington, three quarters left. At upper right, GEORGE WASHINGTON; over right shoulder, BORN 1732 / DIED 1799; signed below, A Scharff.
The reverse depicts the newly erected Hall of Fame for Great Americans building at the University of New York. Above, HALL OF FAME FOR GREAT AMERICANS / ERECTED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK IN 1900; in cartouche, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY CHARTERED - MDCCCXXXI / UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS PURCHASED - MDCCCXCI / UNIVERSITY COLLEGE REMOVED MDCCCXCIV / THIS HALL OF FAME WAS COMPLETED MCM / IN HONOR OF GREAT AMERICANS
This medal by famous Austrian medalist Anton Scharff can be regarded as the inaugural medal for the Hall of Fame of Great Americans medal series (which came much later) and is also a very beautiful George Washington medal by itself.
George Washington was immortalized on innumerable medals and coins but I like this one in particular as it shows him out of uniform and frontal rather than in profile. He looks like a regular man who just happened to become the father of a nation.
This medal is a part of most famous American Museum collections. It measures 72mm in diameter and was struck in both bronze and silver in unknown quantities.
The plaquette shows George Washington on horseback, facing left; fasces below, to left and right. Above, GEORGE WASHINGTON / 1732 - 1799; between fasces, HE WENT TO WAR / A COLONIAL VIRGINIAN / HE RETURNED A CITIZEN / OF - THE / UNITED - STATES; signed under horse, · LAURA GARDIN FRASER · SCULPTOR ·
The plaquette celebrates George Washington's 200th birthday and appears to be rare.
The plaquette measures 57.5mm x 91.8mm and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 30 pieces in bronze.
References: Baker F904, Hansen 57, MACo 1932-025, Reed 3235, Y-246