1869 Assay Commission Medal - JK-AC-6, Aluminum, Seated, Stars

Coin Details

Auction Record

$4,320 MS66PL 03-29-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1869 Assay Commission medal JK-AC-6 in aluminum is an experimental striking of the "Seated, Stars" design in a metal that remained rare and valuable in the late 1860s. The Hall-Heroult process that would make aluminum inexpensive and widely available was still nearly two decades in the future; in 1869, aluminum was produced in small quantities through chemical reduction and commanded prices comparable to silver. The Philadelphia Mint's use of aluminum for medal strikings during this period reflects the institution's role as both a production facility and a center of metallurgical experimentation. The seated figure with surrounding stars takes on a distinctive quality in aluminum, the metal's bright white surface creating a visual effect quite different from either the warm copper or the softer silver versions of the same design. The extreme lightness of aluminum — roughly one-third the weight of an equivalent copper piece — makes these strikings immediately identifiable by feel alone, even before visual examination of the surface characteristics. Aluminum Assay Commission medals from the 1860s represent a convergence of numismatic artistry and materials science. Each aluminum striking was, in a sense, a technical experiment as well as an artistic object, testing the Mint's ability to work with an unfamiliar metal while producing a result worthy of presentation to distinguished citizens. The rarity of these pieces today reflects both the small numbers originally produced and the metal's susceptibility to environmental damage if improperly stored.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-6 (1869) in aluminum. "Seated, Stars" variant. Aluminum was a semi-precious metal in 1869, and strikings in this composition are rare.

Cross References

PCGS #972461; JK-AC-6; 1869 Assay Commission