(c.1864) Medal Die Trial - JAB-9a, Lead Liberty Cap

Coin Details

Auction Record

$960 UNC Details 11-30-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

This lead die trial carries the JAB-9a designation, identifying it as the work of John Adams Bolen, a Springfield, Massachusetts die sinker who produced a prolific series of medalets and store cards during the Civil War era. Bolen (1826-1907) was a skilled engraver who created both original designs and copies of rare colonial and early American coins, operating at a time when the boundary between legitimate numismatic production and outright counterfeiting was not always clearly defined. His medalets, identified by the JAB prefix in numismatic catalogs, are collected as a distinct series and include patriotic themes, portraits, and allegorical designs. The JAB-9a "Liberty Cap" medalet features a design centered on the liberty cap motif — the Phrygian cap that served as a universal symbol of freedom in 18th and 19th century American iconography, appearing on everything from early copper coinage to state seals. This lead die trial represents Bolen's testing of his dies in a soft, inexpensive medium before striking in copper, brass, or white metal for distribution to collectors. Lead was ideal for this purpose because its softness captured every fine detail of the die's engraving, revealing any imperfections that needed correction. Bolen's die trials in lead are rarer than his finished production strikes because they were working artifacts rather than products intended for sale.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. Lead die trials by John Adams Bolen are scarcer than his production strikes, with most JAB varieties known in only a few impressions in lead.

Cross References

JAB-9a (John Adams Bolen)