Undated (post-1864) United States Arsenal, With Sun / Liberty Cap Muling. Dies by John Adams Bolen. Musante JAB M/E-8. Copper. MS-64 RB (NGC).27.9 mm. A beautiful example of this extremely rare muling, with generous and vivid orange-red remaining in the recesses, complemented by mottled blue-green iridescence on both sides. Three superficial spots close to the rims. The obverse was cut in 1862 and replaced the same year by Bolen by a second Arsenal die, which he thought a better depiction of the building. The die used here was sold to Mason, probably the same year, who later sold it to Edwards. The reverse Liberty Cap die was cut in 1864 and sold by Bolen directly to Edwards, making 1864 the earliest possible date for the striking of any mules from these dies, and tying those impressions directly to Edwards. He wasted little time, as Musante reports the earliest auction appearance known to him was in Edward Cogans sale of October 1865. That impression was silver, but all are extremely rare. Only two examples from these dies appear in our online archives, this and another lower-graded and less pretty example in our November 2021 E Pluribus Unum sale from a later die state. This medal shares the Liberty Cap die used on the JAB M/E-9 in the next lot, but the die state seen here is earlier. Double struck on the Arsenal side.From the Claremont Collection. Earlier ex Q. David Bowers; our sale of the Tim Gabriele Collection, November 2017 Baltimore Auction, lot 258.
