1805 George Washington Memorial Medal, by Daniel Eccleston of Lancaster, England, Dies by Thomas Webb, Bronze, 2.75 Inches (Baker-85, Musante GW-88), Extremely Fine.
This bronze medal, 2.75 inches in diameter, presents an armored bust portrait of Washington facing right on the obverse, encircled by the legend "GENERAL WASHINGTON, INSCRIBED TO HIS MEMORY BY D. ECCLESTON, LANCASTER, MDCCCV." The reverse centers on a standing, semi-nude Native American figure, surrounded by the inscription "HE LAID THE FOUNDATION OF AMERICAN LIBERTY IN THE XVIII CENTURY, INNUMERABLE MILLIONS YET UNBORN WILL VENERATE THE MEMORY OF THE MAN WHO OBTAINED THEIR COUNTRYS FREEDOM, THE LAND WAS OURS." Small piercing at the top edge as made, natural dark bronze patina throughout, scattered light contact marks and minor rim nicks consistent with handling.
Commissioned by Daniel Belteshazzar Plantagenet Eccleston, an eccentric Lancaster, England merchant and Quaker who claimed to have visited Washington at Mount Vernon, this medal was struck from dies cut by engraver Thomas Webb shortly after Washington's death and distributed by Eccleston himself to prominent Americans, including Thomas Jefferson, Bushrod Washington, and Chief Justice John Marshall. Jefferson displayed his example at Monticello and wrote to Eccleston expressing gratitude that a foreign admirer had honored Washington's memory so richly. The reverse figure and its pointed inscription, "The Land Was Ours," are widely read as Eccleston's own commentary on the treatment of Native peoples following American independence, a striking and unusual note of conscience layered into an otherwise celebratory memorial piece. One of the largest and most elaborately engraved medals in the entire Washington series, it remains a centerpiece of any Washingtoniana collection.



76.0 mm. An unusual specimen in that it was pierced three times, once at 12 o'clock, and once each at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock, but the latter two piercings have been filled. Presumably this was at one time mounted for display, but as the holes are small, it might have been stitched to a sash, broad ribbon or similar rather than to any type of collector board. The patina is dark brown with traces of mahogany undertones. Despite the holes, the medal has seen little handling otherwise. There are a couple of small nicks and very minor rim marks, but the surfaces largely exhibit only light, even wear. A classic and beautifully accomplished early Washington medal
[Federal Period, Early Republic, 19th Century America] [George Washington, Native American History, English Commemoratives] [Medals, Numismatics, Decorative Arts]