(c.1867) Brass Medalet Rulau Ma-Sp-42, JAB-30, Bolen/Libertas

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,880 MS65RB 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Brass medalet by John Adams Bolen of Springfield, Massachusetts, depicting Libertas Americana imagery, circa 1867. Bolen, one of America's finest private die sinkers, produced this medalet as his JAB-30, drawing inspiration from the famous Libertas Americana medal designed by Augustin Dupre for Benjamin Franklin in 1783. Bolen's interpretation of the Libertas Americana theme demonstrates his classical training and the 19th-century American fascination with the symbolism of the early republic. This piece is smaller than a full medal, earning the 'medalet' designation. Brass, 22mm. Tokens from the Reconstruction era document a period of commercial rebuilding, as merchants in both North and South reestablished trade networks disrupted by four years of war. Massachusetts tokens reflect New England's long commercial tradition, from colonial-era merchants to the industrialized economy of the 19th century.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Bolen medalet with Libertas Americana imagery, cataloged as both Rulau Ma-Sp-42 and JAB-30. Bolen's work is highly collected, and pieces with classical republican imagery are especially prized. The Libertas Americana connection adds historical depth linking Bolen's Springfield workshop to Benjamin Franklin's Parisian medal commission.

Cross References

JAB-30; Rulau Ma-Sp-42; PCGS #596785