(1886) Copper Medal GW-185, Fill Blessed Sun

Coin Details

Description

This copper medal cataloged as GW-185, styled as "Fill Blessed Sun," was produced circa 1886. The "Fill Blessed Sun" inscription is a fragmentary or stylized motto, drawn from a hymn, prayer, or literary quotation that the medal's commissioner wished to associate with Washington's legacy. Washington medals of the 1880s frequently combined the first president's portrait with religious, philosophical, or literary sentiments, reflecting the Victorian era's tendency to moralize and sanctify the founding generation. The copper composition was standard for privately produced medals of this period. The GW-185 catalog number places this among the earlier entries in the Rulau-Fuld reference, though the circa 1886 production date indicates the catalog number reflects the design's relationship to earlier Washington portrait types rather than strict chronological ordering. This medal represents the Victorian-era deification of Washington that transformed the historical figure into a quasi-religious icon of American civil religion.

Rarity Notes

GW-185, copper. Fill Blessed Sun motto. Unusual literary/religious theme. Scarce.

Cross References

PCGS #887441; GW-185; Fill Blessed Sun, copper