1871 Assay Commission Medal - JK-AC-9, Silver, Archimedes

Coin Details

Auction Record

$660 SP61 08-23-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1871 Assay Commission medal JK-AC-9 in silver is a precious-metal presentation striking of the Archimedes design bearing the name of Mint Director J. Pollock. The silver composition elevates this already historically significant medal — identifying one of the most important Mint Directors of the nineteenth century — into the realm of premium numismatic collectibles. Silver strikings of Assay Commission medals from the early Barber era are scarce, as production was limited to a small number of pieces for presentation purposes. The combination of the Archimedes subject and the Pollock identification creates a medal that simultaneously honors two traditions: the ancient science of metallurgical testing represented by the Greek mathematician, and the modern American institutional framework embodied by the Mint Director who oversaw the nation's coinage during some of its most transformative years. James Pollock's advocacy for religious mottos on coinage, his management of the Mint through the Civil War, and his support for the expanding medal program all find implicit expression in this piece. This silver JK-AC-9 was struck during a period when the Philadelphia Mint was producing coins and medals at unprecedented volume, driven by post-war economic expansion and the growing public interest in numismatic collectibles. The care lavished on presentation-quality silver medals during this period reflects the Mint's awareness that these pieces would serve as permanent ambassadors of its artistic capabilities.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-9 (1871) in silver (AR). "Archimedes, J. Pollock" variant. Silver presentation strikings from this period are scarce.

Cross References

PCGS #972464; JK-AC-9; 1871 Assay Commission