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Table of Contents > George Washington > Lot 126 |
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Browse the Auction in Groups of 25 Lots: |
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Lot Number: 126
Click for a Printable PageSign-in to Bid or Register to Bid Estimate Range: $4,500 - $5,500 |
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Rare George Washington Inaugural Button “Unity Prosperity & Independence” Legend with Large Central “Star” and Surrounded by 13 Smaller Stars, Albert WI-PC2, Cobb-21 |
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  Click an Image to Enlarge It |
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(1789) George Washington Inaugural Button, “Unity, Prosperity & Independence” Legend Button with Large Central “Star” and Surrounded by 13 Smaller Stars, Cobb-21, Albert PC-2, DeWitt-GW 1789-12, Baker-1012, Brass, with Original Shank Reattached, Very Fine. 34 mm. Listed by Cobb as Rarity-6 (One of 3 Known), a few more located since. Albert classifies this type as a Patriotic Button, but the J. H. Cobb catalog of Washington Buttons lists this as a Washington Inaugural Button (Cobb-21), and is accepted by the numismatic community as such. The surface color is dark brown matt surfaces with tinges of light green from the brass, with some overall micro-porosity. The original shank on the back has been bent down but is intact. The revised Cobb catalog (available online) says only 3 examples of this rare Button are known, and lists 2 of the other owners. Though listed by Cobb, he apparently did not own this piece as it was not present in his collection, sold January 21-23, 2003 in Stack’s Americana sale, lot numbers 1326-1365. A rarely encountered, desirable major design type lacking in most all George Washington Inaugural Button collections. The last example of this type we offered was sold in our May 27, 2023 auction Lot 148, graded Very Fine with a reattached shank which sold for $5,750.The detail is sharper than indicated by the grade, displaying the detail of a Very Fine or even better, but clearly a ground find bearing a crusty brick-red and deep steel mottled patina largely in the recesses, with the outstanding prominent devices somewhat more of an even brown, though the entirety is granular. Some of the visible texture is natural, as this design type has a deeply textured surfaces within the recessed fields. A very rare Washington Inaugural button, of which Harold Cobb had confirmed only three existent as of 1968. Since then a few more have come to market, mostly dug and in poor quality, yet this major type remains very rare. Harold Cobb imaged and plated these among his Washington Inaugurals, as did DeWitt, Richard Rulau, and George Fuld when they added this section to their Baker reference book revision in 1999. |
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Lot Number: 126
Click for a Printable Page Sign-in to Bid or Register to Bid |
Estimate Range: $4,500 - $5,500 |
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Early American History Auctions, Inc. 1520 Commerce St., # 312 • Winchester, VA 22601 Phone: 858 • 759 • 3290 Email: Auctions@EarlyAmerican.com |
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