Undated (post-1862) United States Arsenal, Without Sun / Bolen Store Card Muling. Dies by John Adams Bolen. Musante JAB M/E-5, Fuld-760A-3e. White Metal. MS-63 (NGC).27.9 mm. Satiny and fairly bright, light pewter gray with a faint trace of reflectivity remaining in the obverse field. Scattered small marks in the soft surfaces but no serious flaws. A very faint reverse fingerprint is detected but not distracting. Sharply struck from the later state dies, featuring small artifacts inside the lower obverse rim. Very rare in any metal. Though W. Elliot Woodward reported six struck in each metal in his 1862 Finotti sale, even that is suspect. We have just two of these in our online archives, both from late-state dies. This realized the second highest price we have seen for the type in any metal, when it brought $1,410 in our June 2017 sale.From the Claremont Collection. Earlier ex Boston Towne; Stephen L. Tanenbaum; our sale of the Q. David Bowers Collection, June 2017 Baltimore Auction, lot 9092.
