(1836) Brass Medal J-MT-20, Restrike 1st Steam Coinage, Feb. 22

Coin Details

Description

This brass restrike of Julian MT-20 commemorates one of the most significant technological milestones in U.S. Mint history: the first use of steam-powered coinage presses on February 22, 1836. The date was deliberately chosen to coincide with George Washington's birthday, linking the modernization of the Mint to the founding father most associated with American coinage. The introduction of steam power replaced the hand-operated screw presses that had been used since the Mint's founding in 1792, dramatically increasing production capacity and consistency of strike quality. The obverse of the medal commemorates the historic event with imagery and inscriptions referencing the transition to steam power. Director Robert Maskell Patterson oversaw this technological leap, which brought the Philadelphia Mint into the industrial age. The original medals were struck on the new steam presses themselves, making them both commemorative objects and demonstrations of the very technology they celebrated. Franklin Peale, the Mint's chief coiner, had traveled to Europe to study steam coinage technology and supervised the installation of the new equipment. The reverse carries the Julian MT-20 designation and additional commemorative text. This brass restrike indicates production from the original dies at a later date, as the Mint frequently restruck popular medals using preserved dies. The brass composition distinguishes this striking from the original copper versions and other metal variants, reflecting the Mint's practice of offering medals in multiple compositions to satisfy collector demand across different price points.

Rarity Notes

Brass restrike from original dies. Julian MT-20. Multiple metal variants exist including copper, silver, and gilt bronze.

Cross References

PCGS #915738; Julian MT-20; First steam coinage at Philadelphia Mint, February 22, 1836; Director Robert M. Patterson