(1832) Lead Medal Baker-160H, Phil. Civic Procession

Coin Details

Description

This lead medal, cataloged as Baker-160H, commemorates the Philadelphia Civic Procession of 1832, held to celebrate the centennial of George Washington's birth on February 22, 1832. The Washington Birth Centennial was one of the first large-scale patriotic celebrations in American history, and Philadelphia marked the occasion with an elaborate civic procession through the city streets. The medal was produced in lead, an inexpensive and easily cast metal that allowed for wide distribution among participants and spectators. The obverse features a portrait of Washington, while the reverse commemorates the procession itself with appropriate inscriptions and a depiction of the parade route or civic symbols. Lead medals from this period were typically produced by casting rather than die-striking, resulting in softer details and a more primitive appearance compared to struck bronze or silver pieces. The 1832 Washington centennial generated a significant outpouring of medallic and commemorative material, as Americans for the first time organized nationwide celebrations of a historical anniversary on a scale that anticipated the grander centennial and bicentennial observances of later generations.

Rarity Notes

Scarce to rare. Lead medals are fragile and susceptible to environmental damage, resulting in relatively few well-preserved survivors. The Baker-160H variety is not commonly encountered.

Cross References

Baker-160H; Musante GW-130 var.; PCGS #615246