Undated Washington Success Medal - Small Plain Edge Silvered

Coin Details

Description

Combining the small die format, plain edge, and silvered finish, this undated Washington "Success" medal is cataloged as Baker 267A, Musante GW-43, and Whitman 10915. The silvered surface — a thin silver layer over copper — gives the piece a bright, lustrous appearance while keeping production costs below solid silver. Produced in England, likely during the 1790s, Washington Success medals feature Washington's portrait with the word SUCCESS. The small format distinguishes this from large-size Success medals using different dies. The exact purpose of Success medals remains debated: some scholars interpret them as gaming tokens, others as good-luck pieces, political tokens celebrating Washington's election, or commercial products capitalizing on Washington's popularity. The silvered small plain edge variety is rare, scarcer than plain copper counterparts, because silvering added cost and was reserved for more affluent markets. Surviving examples often show areas where the silver wash has worn through to the copper substrate, documenting the medal's age and circulation history.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Silvered small medals are scarcer than their plain copper counterparts.

Cross References

Baker 267A; Musante GW-43; Whitman 10915