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

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,320 MS63 05-29-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1899 Assay Commission medal JK-AC-43 in silver features the second McKinley portrait, struck during a year of continued economic recovery and post-war expansion. The silver JK-AC-43 continues the presidential portrait tradition in precious metal, providing a presentation-quality piece for distinguished commission members. The 1899 commission tested coins from 1898, a year when wartime production demands had supplemented the normal output of the Philadelphia Mint. The Spanish-American War had concluded with American victory, and the Treaty of Paris had been ratified, establishing the United States as a colonial power with monetary responsibilities extending far beyond its continental borders. The silver composition of this McKinley medal reflects the stability that the President's gold standard policies had brought to the monetary system. By 1899, the debate over silver coinage had largely subsided, and the forthcoming Gold Standard Act of 1900 would formalize what McKinley's election had already effectively established. The silver JK-AC-43 documents the mature phase of the McKinley monetary consensus.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-43 (1899) in silver (AR). Second "William McKinley" portrait. Silver strikings are scarce.

Cross References

PCGS #518435; JK-AC-43; 1899 Assay Commission