1871 Assay Commission Medal - JK-AC-9, Aluminum, Archimedes, J. Pollock

Coin Details

Description

The 1871 Assay Commission medal JK-AC-9 in aluminum is an experimental striking that combines the Archimedes design with the J. Pollock inscription in the rarest standard composition available for this number. The aluminum version of the Pollock-identified Archimedes medal represents a convergence of artistic significance and metallurgical novelty that places it among the most desirable pieces in the early Assay Commission series. Aluminum medals from 1871 exhibit the characteristic bright white luster and remarkable lightness that made the metal a source of wonder in the nineteenth century. Napoleon III had famously used aluminum cutlery to honor his most distinguished guests at state dinners, reserving gold and silver service for lesser dignitaries. This cultural context informed the prestige value of aluminum strikings at the Philadelphia Mint — far from being a cheap substitute for precious metals, aluminum was itself a precious metal in the practical sense of rarity and cost. The JK-AC-9 aluminum striking with Director Pollock's name inscription creates a historically layered object: the ancient science of Archimedes, the modern institutional authority of the Mint Director, and the cutting-edge metallurgy of aluminum production all converge in a single small medal. These pieces were almost certainly produced in single-digit quantities, making any surviving example a significant numismatic discovery.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-9 (1871) in aluminum. "Archimedes, J. Pollock" variant. Aluminum strikings are among the rarest compositions in the Assay Commission series.

Cross References

PCGS #972466; JK-AC-9; 1871 Assay Commission