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

Coin Details

Description

The 1869 Assay Commission medal JK-AC-6 in copper is the standard-composition version of the "Seated, Stars" design for the 1869 commission year. The copper striking serves as the baseline issue from which the silver and aluminum variants derive their additional numismatic significance. Copper was the workhorse metal of the Assay Commission medal program, providing an attractive and durable medium for the medals distributed to the majority of commission members. The "Seated, Stars" design of JK-AC-6 places a classically-draped figure within a border of stars, creating a composition that echoes the aesthetic of contemporary American coinage. The stars may represent the states of the Union — a particularly resonant symbol in 1869, when the readmission of former Confederate states was an active political process. The Reconstruction Amendments were being ratified, and the composition of the Union itself was in flux, giving the stellar imagery on this medal a currency beyond mere decoration. The copper JK-AC-6 is the most commonly encountered version of the 1869 "Seated, Stars" Assay Commission medal, as it would have been produced in the largest numbers for distribution. Nevertheless, the survival rate for any Assay Commission medal from this early period is modest, as these pieces were produced in limited quantities commensurate with the small size of the annual commission itself.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-6 (1869) in copper. "Seated, Stars" variant. The most available composition for this number, though still scarce by absolute standards.

Cross References

PCGS #512259; JK-AC-6; 1869 Assay Commission