(1887) White Metal Medal Rulau Va-Ri 6, R. E. Lee Monument

Coin Details

Description

White metal souvenir medal commemorating the unveiling of the Robert E. Lee Monument in Richmond, Virginia on May 29, 1890. The Lee Monument, a bronze equestrian statue by sculptor Marius-Jean-Antonin Mercié, became the first and most prominent monument on Richmond's Monument Avenue. U.S. Mint medals are struck using the same precision equipment and skilled craftsmanship employed for circulating and commemorative coinage, resulting in pieces of exceptional quality that showcase the nation's finest die-engraving traditions. The U.S. Mint's medal program operates under different legislative authority than its coinage program, which has historically given medal designers somewhat greater artistic freedom in composition and imagery. Although dated 1887 in Rulau's catalog, production coincided with the monument's planning and fundraising campaigns of the late 1880s.

Rarity Notes

Scarce nineteenth-century token in white metal. White metal examples are often encountered with surface oxidation or pitting from the alloy's susceptibility to environmental tarnish; choice examples with original surface intact are more collectible than the grades typically seen. The Rulau catalog documents this as a genuine numismatic item rather than a commercial counter or gaming piece.

Cross References

Rulau Va-Ri 6; PCGS #925993