No Date Bronze Medal J-PE-8, C.C. Wright

Coin Details

Auction Record

$312 MS65BN 08-15-2018 Heritage Auctions

Description

The undated bronze medal Julian PE-8 honors Charles Cushing Wright (1796-1854), a die sinker and medallic artist who was one of the most accomplished practitioners of the engraving art in early American numismatic history. Wright operated a private die-sinking establishment in New York City and produced medals, tokens, and dies of exceptional quality that rivaled and sometimes surpassed the work of the U.S. Mint's own engravers. His personal medal in the Julian PE series recognizes his contributions to American medallic art at a time when the field was dominated by European-trained artists. The obverse features a portrait of Wright executed with the fine detail and precision that characterized his own medallic work. As a die sinker, Wright understood the technical demands of creating portraits in steel — the reversed cutting, the management of relief depth, and the balancing of detail against striking pressure that determine a medal's visual impact. His work included a celebrated series of medals depicting notable Americans and events of the early republic period, as well as commercial dies for tokens and store cards. The inscriptions identify the subject, with no date specified as the medal was intended for indefinite production. The reverse carries a design appropriate to Wright's artistic legacy, with the Julian PE-8 classification placing it among the earliest entries in the Personal medal series. Wright's career coincided with the formative period of American medallic art, when the young nation was developing its own aesthetic traditions independent of European models. His work influenced subsequent generations of die sinkers and engravers, including those who would go on to join the U.S. Mint staff. The bronze composition and undated format indicate this medal was produced by the Mint as an ongoing tribute rather than for a specific occasion.

Rarity Notes

U.S. Mint bronze medal, undated. Julian PE-8. Produced in limited quantities over an extended period. Wright (1796-1854) is an obscure but important figure in American medallic art history. Scarce in the numismatic market.

Cross References

PCGS #517799; NGC #951767 (Julian medals); Julian PE-8; Charles Cushing Wright (1796-1854)