"1789" Gold Medal U.S. Treasury, Exceptional Service

Coin Details

Description

This gold medal from the United States Treasury Department's Exceptional Service program bears the symbolic date 1789, referencing the year the Treasury was established under Secretary Alexander Hamilton. The Exceptional Service Award is the Treasury Department's highest honor for civilian employees who demonstrate outstanding contributions to the department's mission. Gold medals of this type were presented individually to honorees in formal ceremonies, making each piece a unique document of personal achievement within the federal government. The obverse typically features the Treasury Department seal or building, with the reverse carrying the award designation and space for the recipient's name and year of service. As a genuine gold presentation medal from a federal agency, this piece occupies a special category in numismatics — it is both a medal of merit and a work of official U.S. government medallic art. Treasury Department award medals are seldom encountered in the numismatic market, as they were personal keepsakes typically retained by recipients or their families.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. Individual presentation medals were struck in extremely small quantities, often as unique pieces for specific recipients. Gold composition makes this exceptionally uncommon in the collector market.

Cross References

PCGS #967993; U.S. Treasury Department Exceptional Service Award