Undated (ca. 1862) United States Arsenal Medal. Without Sun. By J.A. Bolen. Copper. Musante JAB-4. MS-64BN (NGC). Light reddish brown on the obverse with soft violet overtones. The reverse is deeper olive brown with fairly strong accents of blue-green and gold. The different patinas are consistent with a piece that sat in an old-time cabinet for a long time, a feature seen on many of the William Spohn Baker medals sold in our November 2019 sale. This is a lovely specimen that has probably been in only two collections, ever, considering the period in which the McClure Collection was assembled, and McClure almost certainly stored his collection in proper cabinets. A nicely accomplished and well-detailed architectural type. From Heritages sale of the Reverend Dr. James G.K. McClure Collection, June 2016, lot 99370.
