(1819) Medal Fuld-FR.M.SE.2, GM-43 Silver Benjamin Franklin

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,080 SP63 11-30-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

This silver medal cataloged as Fuld-FR.M.SE.2 and Greenslet-Manley GM-43 depicts Benjamin Franklin, the founding father, inventor, diplomat, and polymath who remains one of the most frequently portrayed Americans on medals and tokens. The Fuld-FR catalog series is dedicated specifically to Franklin medals, organized by type and composition. The Greenslet and Manley (GM) reference provides an alternative numbering system for the Franklin medal series, with GM-43 identifying this particular die combination. The silver composition indicates a premium striking, as most Franklin medals were produced in bronze or copper for broader distribution. Franklin's image appeared on medals throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, reflecting his enormous popularity in both America and Europe, where he was celebrated as the embodiment of Enlightenment virtues — reason, science, industry, and democratic governance. The "(1819)" date in parentheses indicates an approximate attribution date for the die combination rather than a firmly documented striking date. The dual catalog references (Fuld and GM) demonstrate the thoroughness with which Franklin medallic material has been documented by numismatic researchers.

Rarity Notes

Silver striking of a Benjamin Franklin medal. Silver examples are scarcer than their copper or bronze counterparts within the Franklin medal series. The dual Fuld/GM catalog listing facilitates identification across reference works.

Cross References

PCGS #890313; Fuld-FR.M.SE.2; GM-43