1860 Assay Commission Medal - JK-AC-1, Copper, Longacre Pattern

Coin Details

Description

The 1860 Assay Commission medal cataloged as JK-AC-1 in copper represents one of the earliest pattern pieces created for the Annual Assay Commission of the United States Mint. The Assay Commission, established by the Act of April 2, 1792, was charged with verifying the weight and fineness of gold and silver coins produced at the Philadelphia Mint during the preceding year. Each February, a committee of citizens appointed by the President would convene to test coins randomly selected from reserved samples, ensuring the nation's coinage met statutory standards. This copper striking of JK-AC-1 was engraved by Chief Engraver James Barton Longacre, who served in that role from 1844 until his death in 1869. Longacre's design for this inaugural Assay Commission medal established the artistic template that subsequent engravers would follow and adapt over the next century. The obverse features allegorical imagery reflecting the Mint's purpose, while the reverse carries inscriptions identifying the Annual Assay Commission and the year of issue. As a pattern piece, JK-AC-1 predates the formal annual issuance that would become standard beginning in the late 1860s. The copper composition was typical for trial and presentation pieces of this era, when the Mint routinely struck medals in multiple metals to gauge artistic effect and for distribution to officials and collectors.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-1 (1860) in copper. As an early Longacre pattern predating the formal annual series, this issue is scarce. Copper strikings from this period survive in small numbers.

Cross References

PCGS #512243; JK-AC-1; 1860 Assay Commission