1784 Washington Ugly Head - Pewter

Coin Details

Description

Struck in a tin-lead pewter alloy rather than the more common copper, this 1784 Washington "Ugly Head" is cataloged as Baker 5A, Musante GW-108, and Whitman 10365. The "Ugly Head" designation — one of the most colorful variety names in all of numismatics — derives from the crude, unflattering portrait of Washington on the obverse, which bears little resemblance to the dignified likenesses found on most Washington tokens and medals. Whether the rough portrait was intentional satire, the product of an unskilled die cutter, or simply a hasty commercial production remains debated among numismatic scholars, though the deliberate-caricature theory has gained adherents who note that British satirical tokens of the period frequently employed exaggerated or unflattering portraits for comic effect. Pewter examples are considerably rarer than their copper counterparts, and the soft metal has generally resulted in poorer long-term preservation, as pewter is prone to corrosion, bending, and surface degradation in ways that harder copper resists. Well-preserved pewter Ugly Head pieces are therefore particularly valuable, combining the variety's inherent scarcity in this composition with the condition rarity imposed by the metal's vulnerability. Produced in England, these pieces were part of the extensive transatlantic trade in Washington-themed tokens and medals that flourished in the 1780s and 1790s. Very rare in pewter, the Baker 5A commands a significant premium over the copper Baker 5 and remains one of the more elusive Washington pieces sought by advanced collectors.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. Pewter examples are much scarcer than copper.

Cross References

Baker 5A; Musante GW-108; Whitman 10365