An 1883 14-karat gold Sons of the Revolution medal is among the highlights of Early American History Auctions Inc.'s March 18 sale.

The 279-lot auction, with a 20-percent buyer's fee added to the final closing price of each lot won, includes collectibles under the categories of Historic Autographs, Revolutionary War, Colonial America, Historic Maps, Colonial Currency, Early Lottery Tickets, Indian Peace Medals, Encased Postage Stamps, Political Americana, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Civil War Era.

Sons of the Revolution medal

Numbered 3633, the Sons of the Revolution medal was made in Philadelphia by Bailey, Banks & Biddle. The oval medal measures 44 millimeters by 30 millimeters.

Connect with Coin World:  

Sign up for our free eNewsletter
Like us on Facebook  
Follow us on Twitter

The obverse features a drop-wing American eagle perched upon an oval-shaped central medal depicting a Continental Army soldier with his rifle strapped to his back. Thirteen five-pointed gold stars appear in a blue outer field around the medal, within a  scalloped frame. The medal’s reverse depicts a portrait right of George Washington with SONS OF THE REVOLUTION inscribed above and the date 1883 below.

The member number and manufacturer’s hallmark appears on the back of the eagle.

The medal is suspended from its original gold and blue silk ribbon. A five-pointed silver star is embroidered in the ribbon’s middle, blue panel.

In “Choice Extremely Fine,” the piece carries an estimate of $1,000 to $1,800.

Porcelain on tin Clinton portrait medal

A circa 1777 portrait medallion printed on porcelain and encased in a tin frame with original loop depicts British Maj. Gen. Sir Henry Clinton.

The portrait is a half-length image right of Clinton in uniform, wearing a British military gorget, with the identification GEN. CLINTON on the banner below adorned with leaf sprigs at either end.

Offered as “Choice Extremely Fine,” the portrait medal carries an estimate of $2,500 to $3,000.

Unique encased postage stamp

The unique Reed-JG1057 example (Civil War Encased Stamps by Fred L. Reed III) of an 1863 10-cent George Washington encased postage stamp housed in a silver encasement from manufacturer John Gault was once part of the famed John J. Ford Jr. Collection.

Identified as an “experimental/trial” issue, the two-piece case is described as differing from the regular issue Gault type in that the 24-millimeter encasement is silver and the back is closed differently from other Gault pieces.

In “Choice About Uncirculated,” the piece carries an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000.