1919 Medal Die Trial - JK-AC-63, Reverse

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,880 SP63 08-23-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

This reverse die trial is cataloged under the Joseph K. Davison medal reference system as JK-AC-63. The JK-AC prefix refers to medals documented in the Davison research on American commemorative and award medals. Die trials of medals follow the same principle as coin die trials: a test impression is taken from a finished die to verify its quality before committing to a full production run. Medal dies often featured more intricate and higher-relief designs than circulating coinage, making die testing particularly important to ensure that fine details would transfer cleanly to the finished product. The 1919 date places this trial in the immediate post-World War I period, when numerous commemorative and service medals were being produced to honor military achievement and mark the Allied victory. This reverse-only trial indicates that the reverse die was being evaluated independently, standard practice when obverse and reverse dies were prepared by different engravers or at different times. Medal die trials are even rarer than coin die trials in numismatic commerce, as medals were typically produced in smaller quantities and their associated test pieces were less to be preserved.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Medal die trials are seldom encountered in numismatic markets. Few collectors actively pursue this specialized category.

Cross References

JK-AC-63 (Joseph K. Davison medal reference); reverse die trial