1876 Assay Commission Medal - JK-AC-15, Aluminum, Washington, 100 Yrs Independence

Coin Details

Description

The 1876 Assay Commission medal JK-AC-15 in aluminum features the George Washington centennial design, commemorating one hundred years of American independence. The choice of Washington for the 1876 medal linked the Assay Commission's work to the broader national celebration of the Centennial, which culminated in the grand International Exhibition in Philadelphia — the very city where both the Mint and the Assay Commission were headquartered. Washington's portrait on an Assay Commission medal was a departure from the allegorical figures that had dominated the series in the early 1870s. The first President's image carried immediate recognition and patriotic resonance that the classical Moneta and Archimedes figures, however appropriate to the commission's technical mission, could not match. The "100 Yrs Independence" subtitle explicitly connected the medal to the centennial celebration. The aluminum composition makes this already special centennial issue even more distinctive. Aluminum's bright white surface gives Washington's portrait a crisp, modern appearance compared to the warmer tones of copper, while the metal's extreme lightness creates a tactile contrast with the visual weight of the presidential imagery. Aluminum Assay Commission medals from the centennial year are rare survivors of a unique moment in American numismatic history.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-15 (1876) in aluminum. "Washington, 100 Yrs Independence" centennial design. Aluminum strikings are scarce; the centennial theme adds collector appeal.

Cross References

PCGS #972472; JK-AC-15; 1876 Assay Commission