1974 Assay Commission Medal - JK-AC-118, Pewter, George Washington

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,920 MS64 06-23-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1974 Assay Commission medal in pewter, cataloged as JK-AC-118, features George Washington on the obverse. The pewter composition is distinctive — while most Assay Commission medals were struck in bronze, silver, or occasionally gold, the use of pewter for the 1974 issue was unusual and reflected the growing interest in colonial-era materials and aesthetics as the nation approached its Bicentennial in 1976. Pewter was a common medium for medals and household items in colonial America, making it symbolically appropriate for a Washington portrait during the Bicentennial era. The 1974 commission tested coins from a year when the Bicentennial coinage program was in advanced planning stages and the nation was convulsed by the Watergate scandal that forced Nixon's resignation in August. The commission's work continued regardless of political turmoil, maintaining the institutional continuity that had characterized the Assay Commission since 1792.

Rarity Notes

JK-AC-118, pewter composition — unusual for Assay Commission medals. Features George Washington in the Bicentennial era. Standard commission distribution.

Cross References

PCGS #518620; JK-AC-118; George Washington; Pewter; 1974 Assay Commission