1881 Assay Commission Medal - JK-AC-24a, Bronze, Rutherford B. Hayes

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,920 SP65BN 08-23-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1881 Assay Commission medal JK-AC-24a in bronze features a Rutherford B. Hayes portrait, continuing the presidential tradition from the previous year despite the fact that Hayes had left office on March 4, 1881, succeeded by James A. Garfield. The use of Hayes's portrait for the 1881 medal reflects the production timeline of the Assay Commission medals: dies were typically prepared months before the commission's February meeting, when Hayes was still in office. The "a" suffix on JK-AC-24a indicates this is one of at least two variants produced for 1881, distinguished from JK-AC-24b by differences in the design or die state. This kind of variant notation is common in the Julian-Kamm catalog of Assay Commission medals, where subtle differences in die preparation, finishing, or inscription can create distinct catalog entries from what appears superficially to be the same design. Charles Barber's first full year as Chief Engraver saw him navigating the expectations of the Assay Commission medal program while establishing his own artistic identity. The Hayes portrait on JK-AC-24a bears the stamp of the younger Barber's emerging style, which would come to define American numismatic art for the next thirty-five years.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-24a (1881) in bronze (AE). "Rutherford B. Hayes" portrait carried forward from the previous administration.

Cross References

PCGS #512322; JK-AC-24a; 1881 Assay Commission