jnott5
Jr. Member
Couple years back when I found this. December 2020, my buddy James and I got a permission (thanks James!) down in Frederick MD for an old 1700’s stone house. Lot of property and we scored many coppers and “other” old items of interest. We hit a lot of the farm fields associate with the property and there is where we found most of the coppers and occasionally we would go back and do the front lawn. Nothing crazy on the front yard for most of the day. One of my trips back in the front lawn (about 30 feet from side of house) I got a loud signal on my Deus. Thought it may have been a can but we had not been finding a lot of trash so was hopeful when I dug the signal. About 4-5 inches down saw a disc in the hole. Dug it out and tried to see anything on it (I knew it was bigger than a coin) but couldn’t see any writing or designs (I use reading glasses). End of day showed my finds to James who saw writing on the disc. After leaving I was able to do some like cleaning and discovered what looked like a design on front and writing on back. After reading the inscription and researching I discovered I found a George Washington Seasons Medal:
The Washington Seasons medals depict scenes of agricultural life that the Americans wanted the Indians to adopt. Ordered by James McHenry, Secretary of War in 1797, the medals were struck in England in 1798. These medals were designed by John Trumbull, a well-respected early American artist and Colonel in the Revolutionary War.
Although the reverse legend on the medals is SECOND PRESIDENCY OF GEO. WASHINGTON MDCCXCVI, these medals were not distributed until after President Washington died. Lewis and Clark distributed a total of 55 Season medals among the Indian leaders they met.
Still lacking wherewithal in this country, the government had the Season medals struck in Birmingham, England. A total of 700 medals, each 45 mm in diameter, were ordered, but the only shipment of record, containing just 326 medals, arrived in July of 1798, seven months into John Adams’s administration.
I have been able to find some articles documenting these medals. In addition, examples in silver and copper have been auctioned off (lot of great condition ones of course) and brought in a lot of money. I am thrilled I found a bit of history and a medal that not many exist today. A definite keeper!
The Washington Seasons medals depict scenes of agricultural life that the Americans wanted the Indians to adopt. Ordered by James McHenry, Secretary of War in 1797, the medals were struck in England in 1798. These medals were designed by John Trumbull, a well-respected early American artist and Colonel in the Revolutionary War.
Although the reverse legend on the medals is SECOND PRESIDENCY OF GEO. WASHINGTON MDCCXCVI, these medals were not distributed until after President Washington died. Lewis and Clark distributed a total of 55 Season medals among the Indian leaders they met.
Still lacking wherewithal in this country, the government had the Season medals struck in Birmingham, England. A total of 700 medals, each 45 mm in diameter, were ordered, but the only shipment of record, containing just 326 medals, arrived in July of 1798, seven months into John Adams’s administration.
I have been able to find some articles documenting these medals. In addition, examples in silver and copper have been auctioned off (lot of great condition ones of course) and brought in a lot of money. I am thrilled I found a bit of history and a medal that not many exist today. A definite keeper!
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