1872 United States Assay Commission Medal. Silver. 33 mm. By William Barber. JK AC-11a. Rarity-6. AU-58 (NGC).A richly original example with otherwise pewter gray surfaces that reveal warmer outlines of charcoal-russet to many of the design elements. Satiny in texture with sharp to full detail remaining throughout. This issue features a slightly modified obverse design that the Mint used for the 1870 Assay Commission medal, the die for which had probably been destroyed in the interim. The authors of the Julian-Keusch reference on this series speculate that the reason for recycling this design as opposed to creating a new one was that Chief Engraver Barber was preoccupied with patterns for the trade dollar that was adopted for regular issue production the following year (1873). JK AC-11 is one of the scarcer Assay Commission medals of its era, represented here by a handsome Choice About Uncirculated survivor.From the Newmark Collection. Earlier from Presidential Coin & Antique Co.s Litman, Sullivan and Dreyfuss Collections sale, December 2004, lot 501. Lot tag included.
