(1876) White Metal Medal GW-218, Memory of Washington Mule

Coin Details

Auction Record

$960 SP63 08-24-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

This white metal medal cataloged as GW-218 is a mule titled "Memory of Washington," produced circa 1876. The mule format indicates this piece combines dies from different medal pairs, creating an unusual combination specifically for collectors. The "Memory of Washington" theme connects this to the long tradition of memorial medals honoring the first president that began immediately after his death in December 1799. By the centennial era, Washington memorial medals had evolved from expressions of fresh grief to celebrations of an established national icon. The white metal composition made this mule accessible to budget-conscious collectors while the unusual die combination appealed to variety specialists. Mule medals are among the more challenging items in Washington numismatics because they were produced in very small quantities and require detailed knowledge of individual dies to identify properly. The GW-218 catalog number places this within the memorial and commemorative subset of the Washington medal series.

Rarity Notes

GW-218, white metal mule. Memory of Washington. Deliberately created mule for collector market. Limited production.

Cross References

PCGS #915462; GW-218; Memory of Washington mule, white metal