1797 Medal Washington Masonic GW-29 Brass - Plain Edge

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as Baker 50 and Musante GW-29, this 1797 brass Washington Masonic Medal with plain edge celebrates George Washington's prominent and well-documented role as a Freemason. Washington was initiated into Freemasonry at the Lodge in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1752, and he served as the first Worshipful Master of Alexandria Lodge No. 22 in Virginia — a Masonic connection that remained important to him throughout his life and that featured prominently in his public image during and after the Revolution. The obverse features Washington's bust accompanied by Masonic imagery, while the reverse displays Masonic symbols appropriate to his rank and station within the fraternity. The brass composition (a copper-zinc alloy) was commonly used for medals and tokens intended for broader distribution, offering a gold-like appearance at modest cost. Washington Masonic medals occupy a unique collecting crossover niche, pursued by both numismatic collectors building comprehensive Washington medal cabinets and by Masonic collectors interested in artifacts relating to the fraternity's most famous American member. Scarce and sought after by both communities, these medals command premiums reflecting their dual appeal. The plain edge distinguishes this variant from any edge-lettered or reeded-edge versions that may exist, and the 1797 date places the medal's production during the final years of Washington's life, two years before his death in December 1799.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Masonic Washington medals are sought by both numismatic and Masonic collectors.

Cross References

Baker 50; Musante GW-29