"Ugly" Head
Base
About This Coin
Washington tokens from 1784 featuring an unusually crude portrait that has earned them the unflattering nickname "Ugly Head." The rough, somewhat caricatured bust bears little resemblance to contemporary portraits of Washington, suggesting the engraver may have worked without a reliable model. The pieces exist in both copper and pewter, with the pewter variety being considerably scarcer. Despite their unrefined artistry — or perhaps because of it — these tokens hold a distinctive place among Washington pieces and are prized by collectors of the series.
