Circa 1859 Sansom Medal. Presidency Relinquished. U.S. Mint Restrike. Musante GW-59, Baker-72 (unlisted in gold), Julian PR-1. Gold. SP-55 (PCGS).

40.6 mm. 665.6 grains. Suspension hanger at 12 o'clock, presumably as issued. Rich uniform gold surfaces with faint traces of slightly deeper orange tightly following arcs of the inner rims. A multitude of evenly distributed fine marks and a few extremely faint hairlines are noted under magnification, but virtually none of these are serious enough to distract the eye or warrant further discussion. The most trivial of rim bumps is noted on the obverse near 3 o'clock, but one must look for it, and while doing so, the eye is easily drawn back to the remarkable overall bigger picture, a Sansom medal in Gold. Apparently struck from the dies in their early states. The obverse formed a small spalling patch on the rim over NI, which does not seem to be present on this piece. Later, the portrait also became pebbled with light spalling and then both features expanded in depth. Though worn, the recesses of this piece would likely show these features, had this been a later impression. Most likely this was struck somewhat early, after the restrikes entered production in 1859. This unique medal was unknown to William Spohn Baker when he published his landmark study of the Washington medals in 1885. Eighty years later, George Fuld remained unaware of it when he published his revision of Baker in 1965. More than three decades later, this was still unknown to Fuld and Rulau when their updated version of Medallic Portraits was published in 1999. For this medal not to have come to the attention of Baker within perhaps two or three decades of its striking is notable, as it suggests that its manufacture was in no way tied to the numismatic trade of the day. The hanger, finely but simply made in gold, and drilled into the edge, is likely original and also speaks to a production that was for something other than a collector's cabinet. The wear pattern undeniably suggests the same. For presumably many years, this was hidden away in the vast holdings of F.C.C. Boyd, and then it was given the identical treatment in the care of John J. Ford, Jr., who is said to have privately prized this unique rarity. Why it was never discussed or shared over those many years is something of a mystery, but John Ford in particular would have seen value in such a secret, so in his case it is somewhat understandable. Nonetheless, as the writer was once told by a mentor, "there are no secrets in the coin business," at least none that last forever. True to that, this piece was finally revealed to all in our May 2004 sale of the Ford holdings. Though medals from these dies are certainly available, seeing the single known impression from them in gold is a bit arresting and something that arouses the imagination. This was not a cheap thing to make, so whoever commissioned its striking was someone of means, and it was clearly worn as an adornment. Undoubtedly, some social circle was long aware of this medal, and saw it many times, but collectors of Washington medals would have to wait. We can only assume that Syd Martin's imagination was also captured by the revelation of this prize and he was not likely to let it escape. It was considered "one of the high points" of the Ford Washingtoniana by Michael Hodder, and we would venture to state the same of its status in this collection as well.

From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex F.C.C. Boyd; John J. Ford, Jr.; our (Stack’s) sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part II, May 2004, lot 108.