Rare, Circa 1805 George Washington Brass Oval Shell Medal, Similar To Rulau And Fuld Baker Y-244, Listed On Page-307, in Their Book "Medallic Portraits Of Washington", 2nd Edition. Their description describes it as an "Oval Brass Shell Medal, high relief Oval Border, Civil Bust against background of 13-Scattered Stars, facsimile of George Washington signature in faint letters below bust, and small signature "L.W." below truncation".  This medal has 17-Stars scattered among rays in the field, a branch below the bust, the signature of Washington is below the bust, and the engravers "L.W." monogram is on his shoulder. The size given is 123 mm by 84 mm while my piece is 120 mm by 80 mm in size, so this is likely the same piece described.  There is no picture of the medal in the R&F book, so evidently the authors had only a second party description to go by, thereby causing the description errors. The major difference is the number of stars,13-stars in the book description and 17-stars on mine.  Since 17-stars is an unusual number representing the number of states at the time it was made, the 17th state to join the Union was Ohio in 1803, so I surmise that the medal was made circa 1805, very early for a George Washington medal.  I should add, the engraver's monogram signature looks to me that it may be "D.W.", not "L.W." as in the book description.  Undoubtedly a rare medal, not in Baker or Musante's book either.  It is in extremely fine condition as to wear, and has a couple of minor corrosion spots with normal age coloration for a brass medal of that age, but no scratches or dents. This is an opportunity to acquire a rare early Washington medal, and possibly unique.  Provenance, Syd Martin Collection, a well known major George Washington Collector, and probably the source of the description for the Rulau and Fuld book.