1899 Assay Commission Medal - JK-AC-43, Copper, William McKinley

Coin Details

Description

The 1899 Assay Commission medal JK-AC-43 in copper features the second McKinley portrait in the standard distribution metal. The copper version provided the baseline commission member issue during a year of post-war normalization and economic confidence. The prosperity of the late 1890s, fueled by the gold standard stability that McKinley championed and the economic stimulus of the recent war, created a favorable environment for the Mint's operations. The Assay Commission's annual testing verified a coinage that was serving a growing and increasingly prosperous economy, lending practical significance to the commission's statutory mandate. The copper JK-AC-43 represents the accessible core of the 1899 Assay Commission medal production, complementing the silver and bronzed copper versions. The three-composition approach to the McKinley years reflects the mature state of the medal program under Charles Barber, who had systematized the production of variant strikings for different audiences while maintaining consistent artistic quality across all metals.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-43 (1899) in copper. Second "William McKinley" portrait. Standard distribution piece.

Cross References

PCGS #512395; JK-AC-43; 1899 Assay Commission