In 1789, George Washington wore his famous “golden suit” to his inauguration ball. 237 years later, scientists found 5 natural dyes showing the coat was originally a deep plum-purple, not gold

In 1789, George Washington wore his famous “golden suit” to his inauguration ball. More than two centuries later, a scientific examination of the historic overcoat has revealed that its original color was very different from the one history remembers. Scientists identified five natural dyes in the surviving fibers, showing that Washington’s coat was originally a deep plum-purple rather than bright gold.

What color was Washington’s famous coat?

The overcoat is now part of a special exhibit at Morristown National Historical Park in New Jersey, created for the United States’ 250th birthday. The park, which commemorates the Continental Army’s encampment from December 1779 to June 1780, is displaying objects connected to early American history, including Washington’s historic garment, as per a report by Popular Science.


The coat was long known as his “golden suit” because of its bright gold-yellow appearance. But researchers from the Smithsonian and Morristown National Historical Park took a closer look at the garment and discovered a surprising explanation for its color.

Dr. Asher Newsome, a physical chemist at the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute, examined tiny fibers that had naturally fallen from the coat over time. The original garment itself was not damaged during the testing.

The loose fibers, described by curators as “self-sampled,” were sent from Morristown to Newsome for analysis.

How did scientists uncover the original color?

Newsome used Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry, known as DART-MS, to identify the natural dyes present in the fibers. The technique allowed him to examine the chemical signatures in the material and compare them with the known signatures of natural dyes.

“Nowadays, there are untold thousands of synthetic dyes, but there’s a very small number, relatively, of natural dyes,” Newsome tells Popular Science.

The analysis revealed several dyes associated with different parts of the colonial world.

“There’s shellac, which comes from an insect. There’s madder,” he says, “that comes from a root. There’s Brazil wood, walnut, logwood. Those all are dyes that were identified positively.”

The five identified dyes each produce different shades. Shellac, derived from the insect Kerria lacca, can create crimson to deep purple colors. Madder produces strong red shades, while Brazil wood can create red or purple. Walnut produces brown and tan colors, and logwood produces a rich royal purple. Together, the dyes helped explain what Washington’s overcoat originally looked like.

Why did the purple coat turn golden?

After analyzing the fibers, curators at Morristown National Historical Park created a replica using the same natural dyes identified in Washington’s original coat.

The result was strikingly different from the famous “golden suit.” Instead of yellow-gold, the recreated fabric appeared as a rich, vibrant plum color.

There was another clue that helped explain the transformation.

When a piece of the newly dyed plum-colored silk was exposed to sunlight, it changed and became yellow-golden.

That finding offers a possible explanation for why Washington’s overcoat became known as golden over the centuries. The garment’s original plum-purple color may have gradually changed with exposure to light and the passage of time, as per a report by Popular Science.

The discovery gives a new look at one of the most recognizable garments connected with Washington’s presidency. What appeared to be a golden overcoat was, according to the dye analysis and replica, originally a much deeper shade.

FAQs

Was Washington’s coat really gold?
No. It was originally a deep plum-purple.

Why did it turn golden?
Sunlight may have changed the natural dyes.