(1876) White Metal Medal GW-916, Independence Hall

Coin Details

Auction Record

$504 MS62 08-24-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

This white metal medal, cataloged as GW-916, depicts Independence Hall and is the white metal companion to the bronze version produced for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition. White metal, a tin-based alloy, was a popular and inexpensive medium for souvenir medals at nineteenth-century exhibitions, allowing manufacturers to offer commemorative pieces at low prices to the masses of visitors who might not afford bronze or silver examples. The obverse features Washington's portrait, while the reverse presents Independence Hall in the same design used on the bronze striking. White metal examples typically show somewhat softer detail than bronze counterparts due to the alloy's lower hardness, but well-struck examples can display excellent sharpness. The GW-916 white metal variety is less commonly encountered than the bronze version, as white metal's relative fragility and susceptibility to environmental damage has resulted in fewer surviving examples in collectible condition. Many white metal Centennial medals were treated as inexpensive souvenirs and discarded or damaged over the intervening century and a half.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. White metal examples survive in smaller numbers than bronze. Specimens in good condition without bending, corrosion, or environmental damage are uncommon.

Cross References

Musante-Baker GW-916; PCGS #915479