The Stack’s Bowers Galleries Coin Resource Center includes, as previously noted, entries on Comitia Americana medals. These were authorized by Congress and (sometimes) presented to notable American military leaders to honor significant victories in the Revolutionary War. This week, we’ll take a look at the entry for the silver Comitia Americana medal awarded to William Washington for his leadership at Cowpens in 1781.
William Washington, a distant cousin of the first president, already had a fairly successful career in the Continental Army when he was transferred to the Carolinas to fight in the Southern Campaign in 1780. Serving under General Daniel Morgan, Washington led the cavalry charge that essentially ended the Battle of Cowpens in January 1781, a significant American victory.
For his effective command at Cowpens, Washington was awarded a silver medal by Congress, included among the Comitia Americana medals covered in the CRC.
Our Coin Resource Center entry covering the William Washington at Cowpens Comitia Americana medal includes the Congressional resolution authorizing the medal and a brief history of the medals’ production. A link to recent auction results appears at the bottom. The CRC is an evolving database, and we invite knowledgeable readers to submit edits, as appropriate.
Collectors interested in Comitia Americana medals should tune into our sale of the Richard Margolis Collection, the first session of our Spring 2024 Auction, which includes numerous Comitia Americana medals, including silver and bronze examples of the William Washington at Cowpens.
