NEWMAN PORTAL SEARCH: WASHINGTON GRATE CENT

This week a Newman Portal user searched for the term “Washington Grate cent.” Having never heard of such a thing, I thought perhaps “grate” was a typo for “great.” Not the case, and we quickly learn from the 1977 ANA auction sale catalog (lot 58) that this piece is classified as “Baker 92a” in the Washingtonia series. This is where the typo is, for a check of the Baker reference indicates the correct attribution is actually Baker 29a.

Nevertheless, the auction catalog pointed us in the right direction. From here one can not help but pick from the shelf Neil Musante’s Medallic Washington to learn more. Computers are fabulous for search but sometimes one likes to use a hardcopy. Musante details two varieties, GW-49 and GW-50, which are quite similar in design, but struck from two different dies. The pieces are English, with obverse bust of Washington and the reverse legend PAYABLE BY CLARK & HARRIS 13 WORMWOOD ST. BISHOPSGATE.

Has an auction house ever cataloged this token as a “great grate cent?” A Newman Portal search suggests not, though it seems a cataloger pressed for time might be sorely tempted to do so!

Image: Washington Grate Halfpenny, from Heritage Auctions (1/2015, lot 3060), realized $998.75

Link to Kagin’s 1977 ANA auction sale catalog on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/auctionlots?AucCoId=511063&AuctionId=518291&page=25

Link to Baker’s Medallic Portraits of Washington:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/512400

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