Description

1805 C.C.A.U.S. (Commander in Chief, Armies of the United States)
Medal Tribute

This is the first of Joseph Sansom’s planned series of medals celebrating the History of the American Revolution. There were four completed in his series, with additional mulings created at the Mint later. This was the beginning, and its date of accomplishment is fairly well documented. Sansom presented an example to President Thomas Jefferson, accompanied by his explanatory letter dated December 28, 1805, the same day that his advertisements announcing the medallic series first appeared in Philadelphia newspapers. Jefferson, a medal collector, responded graciously and was later rewarded with an example of the Presidency Relinquished medal on March 25, 1807, and perhaps others in the series. Jefferson’s C.C.A.U.S. medal still resides at Monticello.

The public notice solicited orders for the medal in silver at $5, and in gold at $50, though none in gold has ever been seen. A few were sold or otherwise distributed, as in the case of Jefferson’s, but according to Baker, the obverse die broke early and this brought an end to this initial entry in Sansom’s series. Indeed, Sansom’s own set of the History of the Revolution medals remains intact, and includes no C.C.A.U.S. medal.

The C.C.A.U.S. medal has long been considered a landmark of the Washington series, one that typically only appears in truly remarkable collections.

• Contains 2 oz. Troy of .999 Fine Silver
• Obverse: Left-facing portrait of George Washington centered.  “G. WASHINGTON C.C.A.U.S.” around the outer circumference.
• Reverse:  Forward-facing eagle with head down holding an olive branch with his beak, and lightning bolts in his talons above a globe with the United States facing upward, and the words “UNITED STATES” across the center.  Hallmark at 6 o’clock, “TWO TROY OUNCES .999 FINE SILVER.”