1893 Medal Washington / Lord's Prayer Bronze 13mm World's Columbian Expo

Coin Details

Description

This 1893 bronze medal at just 13 millimeters is one of the tiniest pieces in the World's Columbian Exposition medal series. The medal combines two subjects — George Washington and the Lord's Prayer — in a miniature format that was sold as a novelty or devotional item at the fair. At 13mm in diameter, this medal is smaller than a United States dime and represents an extraordinary feat of die engraving to fit legible design elements into such a confined space. The combination of Washington and the Lord's Prayer on a single tiny medal reflects two powerful currents in late 19th-century American culture: patriotic reverence for the nation's founding father and the deeply Protestant religious sensibility that pervaded public life. The Lord's Prayer was occasionally engraved on miniature medals and tokens during this period, both as a demonstration of the engraver's skill and as a devotional object that could be carried as a pocket talisman. Miniature medals from the 1890s required exceptional skill in die cutting. At 13mm, every letter of the Lord's Prayer would need to be cut into the die at a scale barely visible to the naked eye. Such pieces were produced by specialized engravers who took pride in the technical challenge of fitting complex text and imagery into spaces smaller than a fingertip. The result is a medal that combines numismatic, religious, and technical interest in a package smaller than a collar button.

Rarity Notes

Scarce miniature medal. The 13mm size makes this piece easy to lose and difficult to preserve, contributing to genuine rarity despite potentially moderate original production. The Lord's Prayer text on such a small piece represents remarkable die-cutting skill.

Cross References

PCGS #892549; George Washington / Lord's Prayer; World's Columbian Exposition