(1875) Copper Medal GW-856, Washington and Grant

Coin Details

Description

This copper medal cataloged as GW-856 pairs Washington and Ulysses S. Grant, produced circa 1875. The Washington-Grant pairing placed the first president alongside the eighteenth, connecting the founding general of the republic with the general who preserved it. Grant, who served as president from 1869 to 1877, was the second president (after Washington) to hold the rank of Lieutenant General, and the medallic pairing emphasized their shared military heroism and presidential service. The circa 1875 date falls during Grant's second term, when his administration faced increasing criticism over corruption scandals but his personal military reputation remained intact. The copper composition was standard for commemorative medals intended for broad collector distribution. Washington-Grant medals belong to a broader tradition of dual-portrait pieces pairing the first president with his successors, implicitly arguing that each subsequent president carried forward Washington's legacy and ideals.

Rarity Notes

GW-856, copper. Washington and Grant dual portrait. Grant presidency era. Moderate scarcity.

Cross References

PCGS #785009; GW-856; Washington and Grant, copper