(c.1864) Medal JAB-M/E 9 Silver U.S. Arsenal - Liberty Cap

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,120 MS64 11-30-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

This circa 1864 silver medal is cataloged as JAB-M/E 9, combining the U.S. Arsenal design with the Liberty Cap in silver — the most precious metal typically used by J.A. Bolen for his medalets. Silver mulings represent the pinnacle of rarity and desirability in the Bolen series, as the die sinker struck only a small handful of silver examples of any given combination. The M/E 9 designation indicates this is an experimental pairing in Bolen's muling series, and the silver composition elevates it further among collectors. The arsenal and Liberty Cap designs together create a meditation on the relationship between military power and civil liberty, a theme that resonated deeply during the Civil War years when Bolen was most actively producing his medallic work. Silver Bolen mulings are among the most coveted pieces in the entire Bolen corpus.

Rarity Notes

JAB-M/E 9, silver. Arsenal / Liberty Cap muling in precious metal. Extremely rare — fewer than 10 struck.

Cross References

PCGS #886997; JAB-M/E 9; U.S. Arsenal - Liberty Cap, Silver