Undated (ca. 1875) Thomas Jefferson by John Adams Bolen / Jefferson Insurance Company Store Card. Musante JAB K-13. White Metal. AU-58 (PCGS).25.4 mm. 88.4 grains. Mostly brilliant light pewter gray with soft gray mellowing in the fields. Bright lustrous areas outline the obverse motifs and extend through the reverse fields. A bit handled, with a few tiny reverse pesting spots and a slight waviness to the flan, but still with nice eye appeal for the grade.<p>This variety was missing from the Bowers Collection in 2011, as well as from the Musante Collection in 2014. In fact, we had no appearances at all in our online archives covering the better part of 15 years prior to the appearance of this piece (and a silver one) in our November 2021 sale. Perhaps even more telling is the fact that Musante was unable to find an example to image for his book and was forced to resort to a composite instead. It is unknown how many may have been struck, but it is certain that it was very few. Musante reported only a single auction appearance known to him, in the May 1884 Woodward sale. An important, or perhaps even essential piece for anyone hoping to complete the Bolen catalog.From the Claremont Collection. Earlier from our sale of the E Pluribus Unum Collection, November 2021 Baltimore Auction, lot 10280.
