1787 Silver Medal Columbia & Washington

Coin Details

Auction Record

$19,200 VF Details 11-21-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1787 silver medal features Columbia and Washington, the premium version of the bronze (PCGS #570894). The silver composition indicates a presentation piece or collector's item. The 1787 date connects this to the Constitutional Convention where Washington's leadership was instrumental. Silver medals from this pre-federal era are particularly significant as they predate the U.S. Mint and represent private medallic enterprise in the early republic. The medallic commemorative tradition in America accelerated during the centennial celebrations of the late nineteenth century, with the 1876 Centennial Exposition generating an unprecedented number of medallic issues. The Columbia and Washington pairing would continue appearing on American medals and coinage for well over a century, becoming one of the most enduring motifs in American numismatic art.

Rarity Notes

Rare. 1787 silver medal. Pre-federal silver medals are scarce and significant.

Cross References

PCGS #765401; Columbia and Washington; 1787; Silver; Constitutional Convention Era