Lot 1263
1791 Washington Cent. Small eagle. Baker 16. PCGS graded AU-50. A pleasing high grade example of this popular Washington piece. Dark brown in color, with nice surfaces that are a little on the dry side of glossy. Minor rim bruise at 8:00 on the reverse and two small cuts in the clouds above the eagle. In a very real sense, this is one of the first U.S. Pattern coins -- it was struck in England in the hopes that the maker (Obadiah Westwood) could provide coins to America under contract. The maker chose a flattering portrait of Washington for the obverse and an heraldic eagle for the reverse (a stylistic modification of the Great Seal created by Congress in 1782 and adopted by the new U.S. government in 1789). Unfortunately, Westwood didn't know with whom he was dealing -- Washington opposed having his portrait on coins, neither did he like the idea of a contract coinage. So, despite the high quality of the coins, they were rejected in favor of the development of a sovereign American Mint and purely American coins (PCGS # 705) Estimated Value $1,400 - 1,500
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