(1855) Copper-Nickel-Zinc Medalet GW-195, Washington Monument Baltimore

Coin Details

Description

This copper-nickel-zinc medalet, cataloged as GW-195, commemorates the Washington Monument in Baltimore, produced circa 1855. The Baltimore Washington Monument, completed in 1829, was the first major monument erected to George Washington and predates the more famous Washington Monument in the District of Columbia by several decades. Designed by Robert Mills, the Baltimore monument features a 178-foot column topped by a statue of Washington by Enrico Causici. This medalet celebrates the monument and by extension Washington's legacy in the city that played a key role during the Revolution. The copper-nickel-zinc composition is an unusual alloy for medalets of this period, suggesting experimental or specialized production. The GW-195 catalog number identifies this as a specific variety within the monument-themed Washington medallion series. Baltimore's monument remained a source of civic pride and patriotic sentiment throughout the nineteenth century, inspiring various commemorative pieces.

Rarity Notes

Rare. The copper-nickel-zinc composition variant is unusual and uncommon. Few examples appear in the marketplace.

Cross References

Musante-Baker GW-195; PCGS #890788