The finest piece to reach the sports collecting public in years, this medal was presented to the greatest baseball pioneer - George Wright - in 1868 after his groundbreaking season with the Morrisania Unions of the South Bronx, New York. In fact, his great play that year spurred him moving to Cincinnati to join brother Harry with the Red Stockings, thereby changing the game forever. The FIRST major individual player award ever, it was issued by the New York Clipper (one of the top sports newspapers of the time) while baseball was still largely amateur. It was presented to the players who compiled the highest averages in their respective positions. They were only handed out this one year, likely because of the high cost of these medals being hand-forged in gold. This is anywhere from from 14k to 18k gold, we are not sure of the content and it is unmarked. At the top is a bowtie crossbar with the name "George Wright" engraved. From that hangs a red, white and blue ribbon, which has been replaced with a ribbon of similar age. Everything else is 100% original. The prize itself is a stunning declaration of baseball dominance with "Clipper Prize" in the center in rich blue enamel topped by a jutting figural gold baseball. There is an interesting image in enamel resembling a pick axe between the words "Clipper" and "Prize," perhaps a logo for the paper relating to the Gold Rush. At the top is a laurel wreath with the year "1868." There is a starred design surrounding the circular center and crossed bats protruding. The stars are adorned with the engraved imagery of two 1868-era baseball spikes, a base, and a period cap. In its original leather case with silk inners which are AUTOGRAPHED. On the silk in pencil, he has written: "Geo Wright New York 1868 1st Prize Best Gen'l (General) Play at Short Stop 1868." There is an additional 3x2" slip of paper passed through the generations of the Wright Family that reads: "I give to Geo Wright 2nd - A prize I valued - Grandaddy." There are small notches in it from having been carried inside for decades, and the figural ball poking at it. No other Wright Family pieces boast such additional notes showing bequeathing, thereby accentuating the importance of this to George Wright I. The leather case is all-original and there are no jeweler's or manufacturer's markings as this was custom-made. We know of no other Clipper Medals that exist in private or public hands. Consigned directly from the family of George Wright, it is well known that this was George Wright's prized possession and one of very few pieces he kept and cherished his whole life. An interesting sidebar is that Josh Evans of Leland's first spoke to the grandson, Irving Wright, regarding this very piece in 1994. Essentially, he pursued this for decades. This is quite simply the Holy Grail of Baseball Awards and one of the top four pieces we have ever offered, along with the 1920 Babe Ruth jersey ($4.5M), 1927 Babe Ruth World Series Ring (Charlie Sheen rejected a $5M offer), and the New York Knickerbockers Daguerreotype (priceless).