(1796) Bronze Medal Castorland Restrike - Matte Matte Finish

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as W-9115 and PCGS #523563, this Castorland restrike in bronze features a distinctive matte finish — a deliberately dulled, non-reflective surface that differs from the standard brilliant or prooflike finish found on most bronze restrikes of this medal. The matte treatment was likely achieved through acid etching or sandblasting of the dies or the finished medal, producing a soft, velvety appearance that some collectors preferred to the high-shine brilliance of conventional strikings. The underlying design reproduces the original 1796 Castorland medal: the obverse depicting Ceres with agricultural implements and FRANCO-AMERICANA COLONIA, and the reverse featuring a map of the French colonial settlement region in upstate New York with SALVE MAGNA PARENS FRUGUM. The Compagnie de New-York's venture to establish a French utopian community along the Black River ultimately failed, but the medal's elegant neoclassical design by Duvivier ensured its enduring popularity among collectors. Struck in bronze, weighing 15 grams with a 32 mm diameter and plain edge, this scarce matte-finish restrike occupies a middle ground in availability — scarcer than the common reeded-edge restrikes but not as elusive as the rarest Castorland variants. The matte surface treatment adds a tactile dimension to the collecting experience, as the non-reflective finish reveals design details under different lighting conditions than glossy strikings.

Rarity Notes

Scarce restrike.

Cross References

W-9115