Undated (post-1862) United States Arsenal, With Sun / Bolen Store Card Muling. Dies by John Adams Bolen. Musante JAB M/E-4. Brass. MS-64 (NGC).28 mm. Light greenish-gold brass with subtle rose toning accents when turned under light. Lustrous, sharp and quite aesthetically pleasing. Just a few trivial patina flecks but no serious imperfections of any kind. Very rare and seemingly under appreciated. The dies for this type were cut in 1862, although they were later used in the present muling by George B. Mason and Dr. Frank Smith Edwards. After passing through Edwards hands, the dies were sold to Cogan, Bushnell (possibly) and the Chapman brothers before finding their way into the collection of the American Numismatic Society. It would seem very few were struck, though the mintages are unknown beyond an 1862 note by Woodward that six were struck in each metal, copper, brass and white metal. Our archives include just two examples in brass and one in white metal. This is one of the two in brass and the white metal piece is in the following lot. Clearly extremely rare; the number of appearances suggest that the 1862 mintage figures might be the totality.From the Claremont Collection. Earlier ex Paul White; our sale of the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate, September 2013 Philadelphia Auction, lot 247; Q. David Bowers; our June 2017 Baltimore Auction, lot 9089.
