(ca. 1880s) Silver Medal George Peabody 39mm

Coin Details

Description

This silver medal at 39mm diameter from the 1880s honors George Peabody, the American-born financier and philanthropist who became one of the most generous benefactors of the nineteenth century. Peabody, born in South Danvers, Massachusetts (later renamed Peabody in his honor), made his fortune in London as a merchant banker and then gave away the equivalent of billions of modern dollars to educational and cultural institutions on both sides of the Atlantic. His Peabody Education Fund helped rebuild Southern education after the Civil War, the Peabody Museum at Yale and Harvard bear his name, and the Peabody Trust in London still provides affordable housing. Peabody was the first great American philanthropist, establishing a model of systematic giving that influenced Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and subsequent generations of wealthy donors. This silver medal commemorates a man whose generosity was recognized with honors from Queen Victoria, the United States Congress, and virtually every institution he touched.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Silver George Peabody medal, 39mm. Peabody medals exist in various formats reflecting his wide-ranging philanthropy.

Cross References

PCGS #941689; George Peabody; Philanthropist; Silver 39mm; ca.1880s