Washington Numismatic & Collector Medals

About This Coin

Distinct from historical commemoratives and ceremonial pieces, Washington Numismatic and Collector Medals were produced specifically for the numismatic community — pieces created to satisfy collector demand rather than mark a public occasion. These medals were often produced by coin dealers, numismatic societies, and private minters who recognized the enduring marketability of Washington's image. The category includes restrikes from historical dies, new compositions struck from worn original dies, and purpose-made collector pieces bearing Washington's portrait alongside numismatic inscriptions or society emblems. Values range from $89 to $1,800 depending on composition and condition, with a notable result reaching $9,000 in SP65 at Stack's Bowers. Within the George Washington Medals series, this subcategory reflects the self-referential nature of numismatics — medals about collecting, produced for collectors, by those who understood what collectors valued. The pieces document the evolution of the American numismatic marketplace from the earliest Federal-period cabinets through the organized hobby of the mid-19th century.