Society of the Cincinnati order expected to auction for $50,000

US revolutionary war enthusiasts will jump at the chance to acquire a gold order of the Society of the Cincinnati, which will be offered on March 6 in Ohio.

Society of the Cincinnati medal order auction
The city of Cincinnati, then a small town, was named after the society


The medal is expected to bring between $30,000 and $50,000. It was originally presented to a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, a group founded in 1783 by French and American officers to preserve the ideals of the American revolutionary war.

As the nation's oldest patriotic society, the organisation now serves to promote public interest in the actions of its ancestors, through support given to libraries, museums and educational programs.

The medal at auction belonged to Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a Polish-born soldier who fought in the war and later became the chief engineer at West Point. Kosciuszko was appointed brigadier general in the year of the group's foundation and was initiated into the order by George Washington as commander in chief of the Continental Army.

The medal's elaborate design was conceived by Major Pierre L'Enfant, who is best remembered for designing the layout of the streets in Washington DC. It is one of only 140 original eagles produced for the inaugural members of the society.

In 2007, a specially commissioned medal worn by George Washington and later presented to the French general Lafayette sold for $5.3m. It was one of three eagles known to have been owned by Washington, though he most commonly wore a diamond-encrusted example that to this day is passed down to the president of the society as part of his induction.

Paul Fraser Collectibles has a brilliant signed lottery ticket from George Washington, as well as authentic strands of the president's hair.

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