Rare Relic Symbolism Associated to George Washington & Sovereignty

GEORGE WASHINGTONS PERSONAL GREAT SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES

Taken from Wiki on Great Seal 

In 1894 Palemon Howard Dorsett, a lifelong Department of Agriculture employee, turned up at the Department of State with a metal die engraved with the Great Seal, claiming it had originally been given to his family by a nephew of George Washington. It was examined by Gaillard Hunt, the author of a pamphlet on the Great Seal, who agreed that it appeared to be contemporaneous with the original 1782 seal, but he took no further interest in the matter.[37]

Decades later, in 1936, Dorsett wrote again regarding his die, and this time it was investigated more thoroughly. It is a very similar design to the first Great Seal die and obviously copied from it, even including a border of acanthus leaves. The eagle was different though, being more spirited with its wings more widely spread. More significantly, the arrows and the olive branch are switched, indicating an intentional “difference” to distinguish it from the actual Great Seal. It is the same size as the first die, and is made of bronze. There was no indication that it could actually be used in a seal press, and a search of government documents showed no use of the seal anywhere.[38]

The investigation also turned up some facts that supported Dorsett’s story: documents relating to the sale of Washington’s estate list “plates arms U.S.” being sold to Thomas Hammond (a son-in-law of Charles Washington and therefore a nephew by marriage to George Washington), and also the Hammond and Dorsett families both had roots in West Virginia just a few miles apart. Afterwards Dorsett lent his seal to Mount Vernon, and his heirs made it a donation. It was eventually put on display in a museum there.

Gary:

Never had anyone done a deep study on any of the US Great Seals, not even the authors of the Eagle & the Shield. Not Long after being published in the ANS Colonial Journal, I had made this discovery in direct association to George Washington’s personal Great Seal & Identical letters “CI” found on one of the rarest United States Mint issued George Washington Oval Silver 1792 Indian Peace Medal. The two earliest known of these medals I wrote about in the journal were identified the earliest ones of the US Mint. Which makes them the earliest hand engraved US Mint relics known in its founding history.

The same artist was the US Great Seal Maker Robert Scot, who made a number of the Indian Peace medals, where a group of artist were part of the guild. Scot in a conversation with an archivest who provided me with information on Scot in Scotland, unknown to the US Government historians or historical seal researchers. Said that Scot would have been the appointed from Europe in the United States as the President of the Artist Guild.

Found on the only known 1792 Silver Oval, George Washington Indian Peace Medal from my recent research last year on these medals for the Journal. Low and behold I found the same markings that I thought it was the abbriviation for the Military Officers Society he founded “Society of Cincinnati”, which it is not! The Seal could have been oresented to him in 1789 and the medals were made just after during the first Presidents term. So the “CI” would represent the 1st Colonial Inauguration of Washington. The “CI” is not found on the other known US Great Seals. Some US coins have the “CI” found on the ribbon end of diamond tag(Ribbon on the Great Seal Bird”.

No Peace medal authorities ever make any advancements on the study with these medals. Especially when your dealing with a select few that are worth more the a $1m US dollars at any of the top coin auctions.

Now in the case with this find, its exceptionally rare and clearly marked “CI” on both relics. Scot was proven by my research to be the US Great Seal maker, with a group of artist together. This peace medal shows the only markings and they are both associated to Washington’s history directly. This example image below is a GW Indian Peace Medal