1844 Henry Clay Medal. DeWitt-HC 1844-Unlisted. Silver. Very Fine.

Extremely Rare Henry Clay Medal in Silver 1844 Henry Clay Medal. DeWitt-HC 1844-Unlisted. Silver. Very Fine. 22.2 mm. Original Suspension Loop missing. An extremely rare medal, this is only the second one we have handled since we began maintaining digital records of offerings in our sales. The other was in Part XXIV of our series of sales featuring the extensive John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, in September 2013. Like this one, the original suspension loop, originally affixed in exactly the same position, was lost. Both examples were clearly well used in their day, but this is undeniably the finer survivor, with much better details. Pleasing gray patina with marks commensurate with the grade. A simple design prepared on occasion of Clay's death in 1852, and dedicated by THE CITIZENS OF CALIFORNIA / TO THE MEMORY OF HENRY CLAY on the reverse. As noted in our 2013 sale, this variety (probably the Ford example, as this one is entirely new to the numismatic marketplace) was cataloged by Thomas Elder and published in the March 1918 edition of The Numismatist in association with the reprint of his paper given before the ANS in January 1918. Considering the "citizens of California" in 1852 in concert with the small D.N. beneath the bust probably goes far in explaining the rarity. The D.N. maker's mark is similar in style and placement to the mark of California small denomination gold coin makers M. Deriberpie and Antoine Nouizillet, who produced round half dollars dated 1852 and 1853 (BG-408 and 409). It is almost unthinkable that this piece was made in a different shop considering the circumstances, placing this medal's birth squarely in San Francisco, and probably at 58 Kerny Street, where "Nouizillet & Co." advertised their location in the December 1852 directory. In 1852, though having had a ballooning of population due to the Gold Rush, the city of San Francisco was only a town of around 35,000, and it was an outpost far from the political centers of the east. The local interest in such a medal was likely very small, and the number made was probably rather trivial to begin with.

Estimate:£0.74

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