Owner Comments:
Surprisingly little is known about the undated small-sized brass reeded-edged Washington Success token pictured above. It has been variously designated as: Musante GW-44; Baker-267; and Breen-1289.
I acquired this unusual piece of Washingtonia, graded MS 63 by PCGS, from the prestigious collection of Sydney F. Martin, the recently deceased prolific author and collector with strong ties to the C4 Coin Club. Earlier, this token was part of the Lawrence R. Stacks Collection.
The date, purpose, and even the country of manufacture of the Washington Success Tokens is shrouded in mystery. Some believe it was created circa 1793, because of the 15 stars featured on its reverse. If the number of stars is reflective of the states in the Union at the time of manufacture, Kentucky gained statehood in 1792 as the 15th state, followed by Tennessee in 1796 as the 16th state. Supportive of this theory is the fact that Washington's 2nd inauguration, which this token may have commemorated, occurred in 1793. Others have theorized that the tokens are actually game counter tokens (Spilmarke, in German), made far later, in the mid eighteen hundreds.
The obverse features a bust right portrait surrounded by the legend "George Washington".
The reverse prominently displays the all-seeing eye of Providence, softly rendered, as usual, with 15 long rays and 15 stars, surrounded by the legend "Success To America". Author Peter Jones sees a possible connection between these tokens and Thomas Passmore, a Philadelphia tinsmith and merchandiser, who may have had some part in their manufacture or importation from England - there being a possible tie in between the symbolism of the reverse all-seeing eye and Passmore's involvement with the Masons. This device also imitates similar imagery found on the Constellatio Nova and Vermont Landscape coins.
The Washington Success Tokens were made in 2 sizes, large (25.4mm) and small (19.4mm), with reeded or plain edges. The rarer small one pictured above, resulted from a single die marriage. Very rare examples were also produced in copper (small size/plain edged variety); and unique ones in silver with scalloped edges, and in pewter with a reeded edge.