General Anthony Wayne medal presentation letter, signed by George Washington
jonathanb
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I have nothing to do with this listing at Sotheby's and I won't be bidding, but I think the content is immensely cool.
<< <i>George Washington's letter of transmittal for Anthony Wayne's congressional gold medal, one of just fourteen medals authorized by Congress during the Revolution for presentation to specific individuals "to signalize and commemorate certain interesting events and Conspicuous Characters" (Journals of the Continental Congress 33: 422).
"You will receive with this, a Medal struck by order of the late Congress in commemoration of your much approved conduct in the Assault of Stoney Point—and presented to you as a mark of the high sense which your Country entertains of your services on that occasion.
"This Medal was put into my hands by Mr. Jefferson; and it is with singular pleasure that I now transmit it to you. In the postscript, Washington acknowledges "the receipt of your letter of the 1st February, which reached my hands a few days since." >>
<< <i>George Washington's letter of transmittal for Anthony Wayne's congressional gold medal, one of just fourteen medals authorized by Congress during the Revolution for presentation to specific individuals "to signalize and commemorate certain interesting events and Conspicuous Characters" (Journals of the Continental Congress 33: 422).
"You will receive with this, a Medal struck by order of the late Congress in commemoration of your much approved conduct in the Assault of Stoney Point—and presented to you as a mark of the high sense which your Country entertains of your services on that occasion.
"This Medal was put into my hands by Mr. Jefferson; and it is with singular pleasure that I now transmit it to you. In the postscript, Washington acknowledges "the receipt of your letter of the 1st February, which reached my hands a few days since." >>
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<< <i>That is way cool. >>
Agreed! A wonderful peek into the history of our country.
AJ
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SeaEagleCoins: 11/14/54-4/5/12. Miss you Larry!
<< <i>Very interesting bit of history. Where is the medal now? Cheers, RickO >>
Quoth the description, "The medal remained in the Wayne family until 1978, when it was consigned for sale to Sotheby Parke Bernet; it was sold (15 June 1978, lot 519) for $51,000 (then a world record for any medal) to the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution, which placed it on exhibition at the United States Mint, Philadelphia, shortly thereafter."
Sounds like it could be a permanent exhibit at the P mint.
Pity there's no picture of the back of the document or the accompanying medal.
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