1883 Assay Commission Medal - JK-AC-26, Bronze, Chester A. Arthur

Coin Details

Auction Record

$960 SP63BN 08-23-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1883 Assay Commission medal JK-AC-26 in bronze features a portrait of President Chester A. Arthur, who had succeeded to the presidency following Garfield's assassination. Arthur's appearance on the 1883 medal marks his first portrait in the Assay Commission series and reflects his establishment as President in his own right rather than merely an accidental successor. Arthur's presidency coincided with significant changes at the Philadelphia Mint. The production of the new Liberty Head nickel (the "V nickel") began in 1883, and the ongoing Bland-Allison silver dollar production continued to test the commission's resources. Arthur himself took a moderate position on the silver question, neither championing nor opposing the continued purchase and coinage of silver under the existing law. Charles Barber's portrait of Arthur captures the President's distinctive sideburns and patrician bearing, characteristics that made Arthur one of the more visually striking chief executives of the Gilded Age. The bronze JK-AC-26 served as the standard distribution piece for commission members, establishing Arthur's image in the annual Assay Commission medal sequence that would feature him for the next three years.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-26 (1883) in bronze (AE). First "Chester A. Arthur" portrait in the Assay Commission series.

Cross References

PCGS #512337; JK-AC-26; 1883 Assay Commission