1779 Medal Die Trial

About This Coin

Representing the earliest known entry in the Die Trials, Hub Trials, and Splashers series (1792-1982), this 1779 Medal Die Trial predates the United States Mint by thirteen years. Die trials served essential quality-control functions: before committing expensive planchets to production, engravers struck test impressions to evaluate depth, clarity, and alignment of newly cut dies. The obverse typically shows fully detailed or partial impressions depending on striking pressure, while the reverse may be blank, display partial impressions, or feature unrelated dies paired as mules. The 1779 date connects this piece to the Revolutionary War period, when medals honoring Continental Army officers were being commissioned through American agents working with European die sinkers, particularly at the Paris Mint where Benjamin Franklin facilitated several Congressional medal commissions. Surviving die trials provide researchers with direct evidence of the die-making process, offering uniquely clear snapshots of die states at specific manufacturing moments.