1792 AE Token Washington President General Reverse, Plain Edge, BN MS(PCGS#717)

The June 2011 Baltimore Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

229

等级

VF35

价格

242,154

详细说明

1792 Washington President. General of the American Armies. Baker-59, W-10690. URS-6. Plain Edge. VF-35 (PCGS). This very scarce type is part of a series of British produced Washington pieces that bear no denomination, but are closely related to the Washington Large Eagle and Small Eagle cents of 1791. Probably collected in England alongside Conder tokens, the Washington President and Washington Born Virginia pieces may also have found their way to the United States in the late 1790s and early 1800s, where they would have been appreciated as mementoes of the nation's preeminent founding father. Curiously, however, most known examples are worn to one degree or another, suggesting to these pieces may served in commerce at some point in time. Perhaps the late Walter Breen's suggestion that these pieces, supposedly unwanted in England at the time they were made, were shipped to the U.S. and circulated as copper cents is not all that far fetched. Even so, it is more likely that these pieces were just handled extensively by successive owners, as is the case with most varieties of the British Admiral Vernon medals that date to the 18th century. Indeed, many known survivors of the various 1792 Washington President types have been obtained by English coin dealers, who in turn probably obtained them from old time cabinets or other numismatic holdings.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The appearance of this piece suggests that the second theory outlined above is more plausible, i.e. that most examples of this type were simply handled by their previous owners. Moderate wear is noted, but the surfaces are quite smooth and show no signs of actual circulation. Additionally, we note modest hints of the original finish in the fields, something that would probably not be discernible in a Choice VF copper that saw actual circulation. Handsome glossy-brown patina throughout, with few significant blemishes. The central reverse is softly defined due to a combination of striking quality and w