1903 Assay Commission Medal - JK-AC-47, Silver, Theodore Roosevelt

Coin Details

Auction Record

$7,800 SP65 08-23-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1903 Assay Commission medal in silver, cataloged as JK-AC-47, is the precious metal version of the annual medal featuring President Theodore Roosevelt. Silver Assay Commission medals were struck in smaller quantities than their bronze counterparts and were typically reserved for senior commission members, Treasury officials, and distinguished guests attending the annual assay proceedings at the Philadelphia Mint. The obverse carries the same Roosevelt portrait as the bronze version, depicting the twenty-sixth president with the forceful expression and physical vitality that defined his public image. Roosevelt's relationship with the U.S. Mint would become one of the most consequential in American numismatic history — his dissatisfaction with the aesthetic quality of American coinage led directly to his commissioning of Augustus Saint-Gaudens to redesign the gold coinage in 1905-1907. The reverse displays the standard Assay Commission text and date. Silver examples of Assay Commission medals command significant premiums over bronze versions due to their lower mintage and the inherent appeal of the precious metal composition.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-47, silver composition. Struck in very limited quantities for senior commission members. Considerably scarcer than the bronze version. Silver Assay Commission medals are prized by specialists.

Cross References

PCGS #972584; JK-AC-47; Theodore Roosevelt; 1903 Assay Commission