1950 Medal John Jay Pittman Uniface Lead Trial-33rd RNA President

Coin Details

Description

The 1950 John Jay Pittman uniface lead trial medal honoring the 33rd RNA President is a production artifact — a single-sided test striking in lead used to evaluate die quality before the final medals were produced in their intended metal. Lead trials are softer than finished medals and allow die-sinkers to examine the impression quality, detect flaws, and make adjustments before committing to production runs in harder metals. The uniface format indicates that only one die was tested in this impression. Lead trial strikes occupy a unique position in numismatics. They are not finished products but rather production byproducts that document the manufacturing process behind the final medals. Collectors of die trials and production artifacts prize these pieces for the insight they provide into medallic art production techniques. The soft lead captures die details with exceptional fidelity, often revealing subtleties that may be less visible on the harder finished medals. The connection to John Jay Pittman — who would become famous for collecting exactly this type of obscure, underappreciated numismatic material — gives the lead trial a particular resonance. Pittman built his legendary collection by recognizing value in pieces that others overlooked, and a lead trial strike of his own presidential medal exemplifies the type of item he would have appreciated. Whether Pittman himself retained this piece as part of his RNA presidency is undocumented but would be a fitting provenance.

Rarity Notes

Lead trial strikes are by nature produced in very small quantities, typically one to three impressions. Uniface lead trials from regional numismatic association medals are rare survivors of the production process.

Cross References

PCGS #876396; John Jay Pittman (1913-1996); Rochester Numismatic Association; lead trial