1870 Assay Commission Medal - JK-AC-8, Silver, Standing Moneta

Coin Details

Description

The 1870 Assay Commission medal JK-AC-8 in silver is a presentation striking of the first Standing Moneta design. The silver composition gives the standing figure of Moneta a luminous quality, with the metal's natural reflectivity creating subtle plays of light across the goddess's flowing drapery and the implements she holds. Silver Assay Commission medals from this transitional period, when William Barber was establishing his artistic identity as Chief Engraver, are particularly valued by series collectors. The Standing Moneta design represented a conscious departure from the seated allegories of the Longacre era. By placing the goddess in an upright, active pose, Barber signaled a new dynamism in the Assay Commission medal program. The vertical composition also allowed for a more detailed treatment of Moneta's attributes — typically including scales for weighing and a cornucopia or similar vessel symbolizing the abundance that sound money provides. This silver striking documents the beginning of the Barber era in Assay Commission medal design, a period that would see the series mature from occasional pattern production to a reliable annual tradition. William Barber's influence on the series would continue directly until his death in 1879, and indirectly through his son Charles Barber, who served as Chief Engraver from 1879 to 1917.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-8 (1870) in silver. "Standing Moneta" design. Silver strikings are scarce presentation pieces from the first year of the Barber era.

Cross References

PCGS #972463; JK-AC-8; 1870 Assay Commission