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Some of you hit the nail right on the head. The coin is the Snow-1 RPD, one of the most valuable RPDs of the series. I’ve been looking for one of these for a fairly long time now. The composition is copper-nickel just like almost every other 1859 cent. Would have been cool to find a pattern, but this isn’t it.

It seems probable that Howard engraved the edge of the Monnier medal himself.

Here is some more information that I found pertaining to Winslow J Howard:

Famed naturalist, assayer, jeweler, engraver, traveler, and collector of mineral specimens, coins, and medals.

1855 - Worked as an engraver and watchmaker at Tiffany & Co in New York.
1858 - Headed west as part of the Gold Rush. Upon arrival in Santa Fe New Mexico he established himself as a jeweler.
1860 - Traveled to Denver and established his business there.
He likely engraved the dies for the "Denver City Assay Office" copper pioneer patterns.
Likely knew and met Clark, Gruber, and Parsons in person.
1861 - Again moved his business, this time to be near the gold mines of Central City Colorado.
Expanded his business into assaying.
1861 - Took his collection of coins, mineral specimens, fossils, and natural specimens to New York for public exhibition.
1862 - Returned to Central City and continued his business of jewelry manufacturing.
Also added the side business of selling fishing tackle.
1865 - Travelled back to New York and married Abbie Stratton.
1866 - Proceeded to Helena Montana to be near the gold mining activity there.
1867 - Went back to New York to be with his wife and new daughter Amy.
1869 - Arrived at the site of the silver boom in Hamilton Nevada.
1870 - Went to San Francisco briefly and then back to his wife in Massachusetts.
Second daughter Lorena born. She would go on to be a stage actress with the name Rena Howard.
1872 - Returned to Denver briefly, and then proceeded to set up shop in Del Norte Colorado.
1875 - Returned again to Denver, briefly, before going on to Prescott Arizona.
1876 - Was roommate with assayer and former Idaho silver bar producer F.W. Blake.
1877 - Became the lead assayer at the Aztlan Mine.
1879 - Again returned to Colorado but soon moved to Leadville.
1880 - Set up shop in Leadville as a watchmaker under the name H.S. Brodie & Co.
1881 - Abbie Howard divorced Winslow (not surprising, given his wandering ways).
1881 - Moved to Silver City New Mexico to be near the silver mines and fossil fields.
1882 - Knew Captain John P Slawson when Slawson was killed by Apaches.
1888 - Now resided in San Diego California as a watchmaker.
1895 - Worked as a jeweler in Pasadena California for George W. Collis.
1898 - Howard dies in Globe Arizona.

Here is the full life story of Winslow J Howard in two parts:

https://pioneergold.wordpress.com/2011/09/27/like-many-old-timers-he-had-seen-better-days-part-i/

https://pioneergold.wordpress.com/2011/09/27/like-many-old-timers-he-had-seen-better-days-part-ii/

In March 1884 and June 1886 Howard's collection of coins (including several from Colorado pioneer days such as a complete set of all 8 Clark Gruber gold pieces and a Parsons quarter eagle) were sold at auctions in New York. The Monnier medal is not listed in either auction.

Here is the 1884 auction catalog: https://archive.org/details/catalogueofverye00wood_1/page/n7

Here is the 1886 auction catalog: https://archive.org/stream/catalogueofcoins00lowl#page/n8/mode/2up

@BillJones said:
Okay, enlighten me. Why did you sell the coin, @Gazes?

So this thread is about coins you love that did not pass CAC. I tried to post a coin I once owned that did not pass CAC. I tried to put information about the coin that I thought others would find helpful (i.e. color, condition, link to a pic, census info). I never said anything that should cause anyone to think I sold it because it was non cac. If fact, it was the opposite---I said why I bought it regardless of CAC. You commented mistakenly on my motive and called it sad. Instead of admitting you read something into it that was not there, you have doubled down and ask why I sold it. This thread has nothing to do with decisions about selling coins and quite frankly its none of your business why I sold it. If you are interested in the 20 or so coins I sold along with it, Doug wrote a nice article on the Kentucky collection about my coins that he sold.

Oops! I forgot about this one. This 1851-O gold dollar failed a CAC. It is in an MS-63 holder. The dealer who had it totally disagreed with CAC and PCGS. He sent it in a couple times to get an MS-64. Obviously it failed. I made a counter offer on it, which he said was below his cost, and he accepted it. I think that it is an MS-63, but not a 64.

@Lulo90 said:
Is it because you don't have a life?

Please don't bring your negative attitude to this forum. Seriously.