Washington Miscellaneous



MISCELLANEOUS WASHINGTON TOKEN AND MEDALS

George and Martha Washington Medalets

GW-265, Baker 208, silver - plain edge, 20.9mm
(image courtesy of Steve Hayden)

GW-265, Baker 208A, silver - reeded edge, 20.9mm
IMAGE NEEDED

GW-265, Baker 208B, copper, 20.9mm
(image courtesy of Mark Cramer)

GW-265, Baker 208C, brass, 20.6mm

GW-265, Baker 208D, nickel, 20.9mm
IMAGE NEEDED

GW-265, Baker 208E, copper nickel, 20.9mm
(image courtesy of Stacks Bowers)

GW-265, Baker 208F, white metal, 20.9mm
(image courtesy of Steve Hayden)
 
GW-264, Baker 209, silver, 20mm
(on line image)

 GW-264, Baker 209A, copper, 20mm
(image courtesy of Heritage)
 
GW-264, Baker 209B, nickel, 20mm
IMAGE NEEDED

Cogan / Idler Mules

These small medalets have been called Cogan / Idler mules because 
the obverse is used on William Idler storecards and the 
reverse die is used on Edward Cogan storecards. Rulau says
this muling was done by Robert Jr. without the knowledge of
Cogan or Idler. He has them listed under Edward Cogan and in 
Baker they are found in the chapter "Medals With Historic Figures"
following the George and Martha Washington medalets. 

GW-269, Baker 208N, PA 98A, silver, 20mm
IMAGE NEEDED
Baker list plain edge only, Musante says plain and 
reeded edge, Rulau has no reference to the edge

GW-269, Baker 208P, PA 92, copper, plain edge, 20mm
IMAGE NEEDED
 
PA 92A, copper, thick planchett, plain edge, 20mm
IMAGE NEEDED

GW-269, copper, reeded edge, 20mm
(image courtesy of Chuck MacMonegle)
 
GW-269, Baker 208M, PA 93, brass, plain edge, 20mm
IMAGE NEEDED
 
GW-269, PA 94, brass, reeded edge, 20mm
(image courtesy of Stacks Bowers)

GW-269, Baker 208Q, PA 91, white metal, plain edge, 20mm
IMAGE NEEDED
 
GW-269, PA 95, white metal, reeded edge, 20mm
IMAGE NEEDED
 
PA 95A, silvered white metal, reeded edge, 20mm
 (on line image)
Rulau does not mention the edge for this variety, plain
edge examples my exist.
   
 PA 97, copper nickel, plain edge, 20mm
IMAGE NEEDED
 
PA 98, copper nickel, reeded edge, 20mm
(image courtesy of Chuck MacMonegle)
 
Order United American Mechanics Medalets

GW-812, Baker 336, silver, 25mm
IMAGE NEEDED

GW-812, Baker 336A, copper, 25mm

GW-812, Baker 336B, brass, 25mm


GW-812, Baker 336C, Gilt, 25mm

     The Order United American Mechanics began in Philadelphia in the early 1840's as a response to the anti-alien sentiment of the time. Originally called The Union of Workers it attracted tradespeople wanting to protect their interest from immigrants. It soon gained membership from clerks, merchants, and minor public functionaries. Only whites were admitted and their membership was never large, many people being more interested in the insurance benefits provided than their anti- foreigner stance.

First President / Awarded To Medal

GW-357, Baker 355, silver plated tin (90.88% tin, 7.99% silver, trace of lead and copper), 51mm
    
    The listing for this medal in the original Baker text states "the bust on this piece, which appears to exist in but a single specimen, resembles very closely that of No. 135 by Robert Lovett Jr. And in all probability is the work of that engraver". The Rulau Fuld text calls it the work of Robert Sr. which is certainly not correct. Neil Musante says there are three known specimens - one in the Pennsylvania Historical Society, another at the Massachusets Historical Society, and the one pictured above.
     Although the bust is similar to Baker 135, the Fideli Certa Merces medal, it is not the same. And the "Awarded To" reverse die looks like several other dies but I have not seen this exact design on his works. So what is this and is it by Robert Jr? What is particularly intriguing is the intricate engraving around the rim on both dies. What this Robert Jr. showing off for a prospective customer? Is this a specimen piece he struck up for a particular client but was never used? Did he strike this thinking he could sell it as a generic medal to be engraved by the purchaser only to never follow through? My guess is we'll never know exactly what this is.

Japanese Embassy Medals

GW-355, Baker 368, silver, 51mm
(image courtesy of Stack's Bowers)

GW-355, Baker 368B, brass, 51mm
IMAGE NEEDED

GW-355, Baker 368A, bronze, 53.1mm
in original case of issue





GW-355, Baker 368C, white metal, 51mm

GW-355, Baker 368C var., silvered white metal, 51mm
(image courtesy of Heritage)

The Stuart Portrait Plaque

GW-221, copper, 30.7mm

Obverse: Bust and torso of Washington in civilian dress, three
quarters to the right on a field of lines within a beaded circle, Lovett in 
script off the right shoulder.

Reverse: Blank with lead residue


What exactly is this? The example listed in "Medallic Washington"
is 38mm and has a wide decorative rim which is missing from this
example but the rest of the design is the same so I assume it is a 
cut down example. Neil list this as Robert Sr but because of the 
script style signature I am calling it Robert Jr. as he had used this 
style signature. He also list it as brass but this one is almost
certainly copper. 
 
That still leaves the question of what it is? It is a very thin, light piece as if it is
half a shell. It has been suggested it was a die trial. There are no
medals I know of that use that design although it is very similar
to the obverse of Robert Jr's 'Unity of Government' medal, GW-432, 
pictured below. And what about the lead on the reverse? The
example in "Medallic Washington" appears to have that same 
residue. Could it have been used to bond it to something?
 
Obverse of GW-432

 

Dickeson's Coin & Medal Safe

Baker 530, silver, 33mm

Baker 530A, copper, 32mm

Baker 530B, brass, 32mm
IMAGE NEEDED

Baker 530C, copper nickel, 32mm
IMAGE NEEDED

Baker 530D, white metal, 32mm

Baker 616, copper, 32mm
(image courtesy of Stack's Bowers)
    This muling utilizes the reverse die from Dickeson's Sommer Island shilling copies; the Washington Security die was also muled with the obverse die of the Sommer Island piece. And both Sommer Island dies were muled with the  "Coin and Medal Safe" dies. Russell Rulau states "Most likely Robert Lovett Jr. prepared the dies for the Sommer Island shilling copies, and their derivative storecards".

Civil War Dog Tag

Baker 621A, gilt brass, 32mm

I include this here not because it is a work of Robert Jr. but because
it does utilize his die. Thomas Elder struck these circa 1917 using the
Washington Security die plus the reverse he created. These were never
used as dog tags and should be considered fantasy pieces. They are 
found in a variety of medals and are fairly common.


Octagonal Washington Medal

Baker N-652, copper, 24 x 27mm

 
I am including this here since Rulau/Fuld included it in their text but
this is nothing more than a defaced medal. There is no detail left to determine
which medal was cut down and manipulated but it is Robert Jr's Washington bust.