(1830) Medal G. Washington, Baker-132 Mule w/ Thaddeus Kosciuszko

Coin Details

Description

This medal, cataloged as Baker-132, is a mule pairing a George Washington obverse with a Thaddeus Kosciuszko reverse, produced circa 1830. Mule medals combine dies from two different medallic programs, creating a piece that was never intended as a unified design. In this case, a Washington portrait die was paired with a reverse die honoring Tadeusz Kosciuszko, the Polish military engineer who served as a volunteer in the Continental Army during the American Revolution and later led the 1794 Polish uprising against Russian and Prussian partition. The pairing of Washington and Kosciuszko on a single medal reflects the deep historical connection between the two men, who served together during the Revolution and maintained mutual respect. Kosciuszko designed the fortifications at West Point and Saratoga, and Washington personally commended his engineering contributions. The mule format indicates this piece was produced by a die-sinker or medal manufacturer who had access to both portrait dies and combined them either experimentally or to create a marketable collectible linking two popular historical figures. Such mule combinations are characteristic of the antebellum American medal market, where die-sinkers freely recombined available dies to produce novel varieties.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Mule combinations are typically produced in small quantities. This Washington-Kosciuszko pairing appears infrequently in the numismatic market.

Cross References

Baker-132; Musante GW-130; PCGS #528365