(Washington, George)

George Washington Funeral Medal, by Jacob Perkins, struck in gold.  "he is in glory, the world in tears." Uniformed bust of Washington left within laurel wreath, rev., b.f.ii.1732.g.a.arm.'75.r.'88.p.u.s.a.'89  / '96g.arm.u.s. - '98.ob.d.14.1799. in two concentric lines.  Funeral urn on pedestal, inscribed in script, GW.  30 mm., 14.65 gms. (Baker 166; Dies Rulau / Fuld 1-B): numerous obverse and reverse scratches, but otherwise nearly as made, and pierced for wearing as are most, very rare.

"he is in glory, the world in tears."

The dies were cut by Jacob Perkins (1766–1849) of Newburyport, Massachusetts from designs submitted to him by Dudley A. Tyng, the United States collector of customs at Newburyport.  Struck in 1800, these were made to be worn at the two massive funeral processions held in Boston on 11 February 1800 (a Masonic event), and the civic procession on 22 February 1800.  Perkins was a well-known die-cutter who was responsible for executing some of the dies for the 1787-1788 Massachusetts copper coinage, as well as a privately produced pattern dollar.  Rulau / Fuld estimate approximately 12–14 gold examples known from all die combinations, 10–12 from these dies.