1901 United States Assay Commission Medal. By Charles E. Barber and George T. Morgan. JK AC-45. Rarity-5. Silver. Proof-65 (NGC).40 mm x 57 mm, plaque. Rich pewter-gray patina on satiny matte surfaces. Fully struck and supremely attractive.<p>The 1901 is particularly popular with specialists in this series as the first plaquette Assay Commission medal, all previous issues were circular, most of conspicuously smaller size. According to the Mint directors annual report, only 40 silver impressions of this type were produced in 1901, although the Julian-Keusch reference states that the 1905 and 1906 reports each account for one silver restrike from these dies. All examples exhibit the post-1900 matte finish, fully appreciable here. There were two silver impressions of this type in our (Stacks) November 2008 Keusch Collection sale, neither as fine as that offered here.Ex "Quality" Sales Corp., ca. 1972; Harry W. Bass, Jr.; our (Bowers and Merenas) sale of the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, Part I, May 1999, lot 2141; Heritages Long Beach Tokens & Medals Signature Auction of September 2008, lot 28211.
