1867 Assay Commission Medal - JK-AC-3, Bronze, Longacre Pattern

Coin Details

Description

The 1867 Assay Commission medal JK-AC-3 represents the final Longacre pattern in the series, struck in the standard bronze composition denoted by the AE (aes) designation. By 1867, Chief Engraver James Barton Longacre was in the final years of his tenure, having guided the Mint's engraving department through the Civil War and into the early Reconstruction era. His work on JK-AC-3 reflects the maturation of the Assay Commission medal concept from experimental pattern to established annual tradition. The year 1867 was notable at the Philadelphia Mint for the ongoing transition in coinage design philosophy. The Shield nickel, introduced in 1866, represented a new direction in American numismatic art, and the Mint was actively exploring design changes across multiple denominations. Longacre's Assay Commission medal work during this period shows the influence of these broader artistic currents while maintaining the distinctive character appropriate to a medal honoring the coin-testing commission. The Assay Commission's role took on heightened importance in the post-war period as the nation grappled with returning to a metallic standard after years of fiat greenback currency. Ensuring the integrity of gold and silver coinage was essential to restoring public confidence in the monetary system, making the commission's annual verification process more consequential than at any point since the Mint's founding.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-3 (1867) in bronze (AE). The final Longacre pattern, completing the three-piece introductory group. Bronze strikings are the most commonly encountered composition for this number.

Cross References

PCGS #512248; JK-AC-3; 1867 Assay Commission