(1963) Silver Medal GW-935, Koch's Equestrian

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,920 MS63 11-21-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

The Musante-Baker GW-935 medal in silver features Koch's equestrian design of George Washington, dating to approximately 1963. This medal belongs to a later period of Washington commemorative production when traditional medallic art was experiencing a revival among collectors and patriotic organizations during the Cold War era. The equestrian format — depicting Washington on horseback — connects this piece to a long tradition of equestrian portraits in Western medallic art, from ancient Roman coins through Renaissance plaquettes to modern commemoratives. The Koch attribution refers to the designer or manufacturer responsible for the medal's production. Mid-twentieth-century Washington medals were produced by a variety of private mints and medallic art firms, including the Medallic Art Company, the Franklin Mint, and numerous smaller operations that served the collector market. Silver strikings from this period were typically produced in controlled mintages for sale to subscribers or collectors. The c.1963 dating places this medal in the period immediately following the Civil War Centennial (1961-1965) and during a broader wave of American historical commemoration driven by Cold War patriotism. Washington's image was deployed extensively in this period as a symbol of American democratic values contrasted with Soviet authoritarianism.

Rarity Notes

Silver composition. Mid-twentieth-century silver medals were produced in controlled mintages. Koch equestrian designs are a specialized subcategory within modern Washingtoniana.

Cross References

Musante-Baker GW-935; PCGS #930835