(1862) Medal J-PR-29, Baker-223 Gold Washington-Jackson

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,233 SP63 09-07-2016 Heritage Auctions

Description

This gold medal cataloged as Julian PR-29 and Baker-223 represents the ultimate expression of the Washington-Jackson dual-president design — struck in precious gold and produced in extremely limited quantities. Gold medals from the U.S. Mint during the Civil War era are among the most prestigious and valuable American numismatic items, combining artistic merit with precious metal content and extreme rarity. The obverse pairs the portraits of George Washington and Andrew Jackson, the two most consequential presidents of the first half-century of American governance. Washington provided the constitutional framework, the precedents, and the moral authority that established the presidency as a viable institution. Jackson expanded the democratic foundation of the office, asserting executive power on behalf of the common citizen and creating the modern political party system. Gold strikings of U.S. Mint medals were reserved for the most important presentations — gifts to heads of state, distinguished foreign diplomats, or exceptionally prominent citizens. The Baker-223 designation in gold represents one of the rarest entries in the extensive catalog of Washington-related numismatic items. The 1862 date places this gold medal during the darkest period of the Civil War, when the Union cause was far from certain and appeals to the legacy of past great presidents carried urgent political significance. A gold medal pairing the revolutionary-era father of the country with the Jacksonian defender of the Union against nullification would have carried powerful symbolic resonance during the secession crisis.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. Gold strikings of Civil War-era dual-president medals exist in tiny numbers, fewer than a dozen. Auction appearances are exceptional events. Among the most valuable entries in the Baker catalog of Washingtonia.

Cross References

Julian PR-29 (Gold); Baker-223; PCGS #514993