1889 Bronze Medal GW-1116 - Pierced Inaugural Centennial

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as Baker 660 and Musante GW-1116, this pierced bronze medal from 1889 commemorates the centennial of George Washington's first inauguration on April 30, 1789. The hole pierced through the medal indicates it was worn as a badge, pendant, or lapel ornament during the elaborate centennial celebrations that took place across the United States, particularly in New York City where the original inauguration occurred at Federal Hall on Wall Street. The 1889 Washington Inaugural Centennial was a major national event that generated an extraordinary quantity of commemorative medals, tokens, badges, and souvenirs from numerous manufacturers, and GW-1116 represents one entry in this prolific output. The bronze composition was the standard striking metal for commemorative medals intended for broad distribution during public celebrations, keeping costs accessible for the general public who purchased them as wearable keepsakes. Moderately scarce overall, centennial medals exist in substantial aggregate quantity across hundreds of catalog numbers, but individual varieties like GW-1116 vary in availability. The piercing — whether applied at the time of manufacture or by the original owner — provides evidence of how these medals functioned as wearable objects during the centennial festivities, transforming a numismatic piece into a piece of personal adornment that publicly demonstrated the wearer's patriotic participation in the national celebration honoring the hundredth anniversary of the American presidency.

Rarity Notes

Moderately scarce. Centennial medals exist in quantity but pierced examples vary.

Cross References

Baker 660; Musante GW-1116