No Date Medal New York Assay Office Bronze 1 5/16"

Coin Details

Description

This undated bronze medal depicts the New York Assay Office, which served as the federal government's precious metals testing and refining facility in the nation's financial capital. Established in 1854 at 30 Wall Street in the heart of Manhattan's financial district, the New York Assay Office played a critical role in the American monetary system by assaying, refining, and sometimes striking gold and silver brought in by private depositors, banks, and the government itself. The facility's proximity to the New York financial markets made it indispensable to the nation's bullion operations. The obverse features an architectural rendering of the Assay Office building, which occupied one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in America. The original building at 30 Wall Street was a former bank structure adapted for government use, and the facility processed enormous quantities of gold and silver, particularly during and after the California Gold Rush when New York was the primary destination for West Coast gold shipments. The Assay Office also struck a small number of gold coins in the 1850s, making it technically a branch mint for a brief period, though its primary function was always assaying and refining rather than coinage. The reverse carries standard facility medal inscriptions in the 1 5/16 inch format. The New York Assay Office operated until 1982, when its functions were consolidated with other facilities. The building itself was demolished in 1915, though its classical facade was preserved and relocated to the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, making this medal a record of a building that no longer exists in its original form.

Rarity Notes

Undated bronze facility medal, 1 5/16 inch (33mm). The New York Assay Office closed in 1982 and the original building was demolished in 1915.

Cross References

PCGS #113038; U.S. Mint facility medal series; New York Assay Office (1854-1982); 30 Wall Street