(1795) Bronze Medal J-MT-24, Gen. Hamilton

Coin Details

Auction Record

$7,800 MS64 04-03-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

This bronze medal Julian MT-24 honors Alexander Hamilton (1755/57-1804), the first Secretary of the Treasury and the architect of America's financial system. Hamilton's vision established the U.S. Mint, the national banking system, the customs service, and the fundamental fiscal policies that transformed a loose confederation of indebted states into a creditworthy nation. His inclusion in the Mint and Treasury medal series is uniquely appropriate, as Hamilton was the founding father most directly responsible for the very institution that produced this medal. The obverse features a portrait bust of Hamilton capturing the features familiar from his depiction on the ten-dollar bill — the high forehead, prominent nose, and determined expression that contemporaries associated with his relentless intellect and ambition. Hamilton served as Treasury Secretary from 1789 to 1795, during which time he authored the landmark Report on Manufactures, Report on Public Credit, and the plan for the First Bank of the United States. His 1791 report recommending the establishment of a national mint led directly to the Coinage Act of 1792 and the creation of the Philadelphia Mint. The reverse carries commemorative inscriptions with the Julian MT-24 catalog designation identifying this as a Mint and Treasury series medal. Hamilton's murder in a duel with Vice President Aaron Burr in 1804 cut short the career of arguably the most influential economic thinker in American history. The bronze composition and undated format indicate production as an ongoing tribute medal available from the Mint over an extended period.

Rarity Notes

U.S. Mint bronze medal, Julian MT-24. Produced over an extended period as demand warranted.

Cross References

PCGS #935208; Julian MT-24; Alexander Hamilton (1755/57-1804); First Secretary of the Treasury