(c.1864) Medal JAB-9 Bronze J.A. Bolen / Liberty Cap

Coin Details

Auction Record

$840 MS65 04-13-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

This circa 1864 bronze medal, cataloged as JAB-9, features a dual design pairing J.A. Bolen's portrait or name on one side with a Liberty Cap on the other. The Liberty Cap — a pileus or Phrygian cap that symbolized freedom in both ancient Roman and revolutionary American and French iconography — was a favorite symbol for nineteenth-century medal and token makers. JAB-9 represents Bolen's middle period of production during the Civil War, when his confidence as a die sinker had matured and his designs achieved greater complexity and artistic refinement. The bronze composition provides warm coloring and excellent detail preservation. This medal combines Bolen's self-identification as an artist with one of the most potent symbols of American liberty, creating a piece that is both personal statement and patriotic expression.

Rarity Notes

JAB-9, bronze. Mid-series Bolen medalet from the Civil War period. Typical small production of 25-50 pieces.

Cross References

PCGS #897317; JAB-9; J.A. Bolen / Liberty Cap, Bronze