(c.1876) Medal JAB-K-1 Brass Jefferson / Jackson

Coin Details

Auction Record

$600 MS63 11-30-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

This circa 1876 brass medal cataloged as JAB-K-1 is a die-pairing by John Adams Bolen (1826-1907) of Springfield, Massachusetts, combining a portrait of Thomas Jefferson on the obverse with Andrew Jackson on the reverse. Bolen, a skilled diesinker and medallist, produced a series of small medals during the 1860s and 1870s featuring American presidents, patriotic themes, and historical subjects. The K-series designations in the Bolen catalog refer to die combinations or "Kline" attributions documenting the various obverse-reverse pairings Bolen created from his extensive inventory of dies. The Jefferson obverse presents the third president in classical profile, while the Jackson reverse depicts Old Hickory in military bearing. Both portraits demonstrate Bolen's characteristic engraving style — clean lines with restrained detail that achieves recognizable likenesses at small diameter. The brass composition gives this piece a golden appearance that distinguishes it from the more common copper and white metal versions in Bolen's output. Bolen occupied a unique position in American numismatics as both an artist and a figure of controversy. He produced copies of rare colonial coins that were sometimes mistaken for originals, leading the numismatic community to both admire his technical skill and scrutinize his productions. His original medallic work, including the K-series presidential pairings, is collected in its own right as examples of mid-nineteenth-century American die-engraving at its finest.

Rarity Notes

Bolen produced his medals in very limited quantities, typically striking between 15 and 50 pieces in each metal. The brass striking of JAB-K-1 is among the scarcer compositions for this die pairing.

Cross References

PCGS #636729; JAB-K-1 (Brass)