Walter Breen
Silver Dollar. [950] *B-1. High date, shield point midway tip and upright, 18 about touch. Rev. of 1873, die file marks at claw and stem. Frequently enough offered so that one may well suspect that here, as with most of the other silver proofs of the period, the Characteristic Ratio (survivors/mintage) is well in excess of 50%. Popular with type collectors, like all this 1866-73 Liberty seated with motto series. Some were probably melted July 10, 1873.
Silver-minor proof sets. The 950 minted came in small driblets throughout the year: January 31, 150; 100 each on February 20, March 4 and March 8; 150 more on April 9; 100 each on June 15, September 2 and October 18, finally 50 on December 11. Examination of the die varieties in the Smithsonian set would yield information at least about the initial delivery, as the date of transfer from the Coiner to the Curator (Feb. 9) indicates that the coins must have come therefrom. Quite a fewsets survive, some of them presumably assembled. Owing to the date collector demand on the copper coins, many of the sets earlier extant were broken up. Compare also Bartlett:1001; Garrett:306 at $4750. Some may have been melted July 10, 1873.
Gold Dollar. [30] *B-1. Obv. of 1871 proofs. Date about centered, 7 wholly below L, 18 apart. The proofs were the first dollars minted, February 3. Very rare, survivors numbering less than 17. Several deceptive first strikes from B-2 (low date) dies are around; these do not have the "depth" of field, i.e., the true mirror quality of field of the real proofs, nor are the details of head and wreath struck up as well as they might be. Garrett's brought $2100 (spotty).
Quarter Eagle. [30] *B-1. Date high, to right, slanting up, 2 farther from border than 1, 18 apart, left base of 1 r. of left edge. Of possibly 15 or 16 survivors, at least three are damaged. Compare, for instance, Wolfson:207. This date is under some pressure from date collectors, as business strikes are much harder to find in any grade than those of the years 1867-71 inclusive. H. Bass, ex "Quality Sales" 9/73:1066; Garrett:450 at $3500 (minute flan chip).
Three Dollars. [30] Two varieties in proof. *B-1. Plain double outline on profile, from lower bead of headdress down to vertex of angle between chin and neck, and on back of head. Denticles rather widely spaced; double outlines on r. sides of ITE; die scratch slanting down between top of L and middle of I (not always plain). Filled E in UNITED, some traces of filling in lower part of first S in STATES and in lower trapezoid of first A in AMERICA. About half of JBL visible. This is the obverse later used on 1865 restrikes and still later, in failed state, on the B-2 or dished restrikes dated 1873. Rev.: Date slants very slightly down to r., and is low; r. side of 2 below r. edge of upright of R. Originals only; no rumor of restrikes dated 1872, though they are not impossible. Compare Kern-Pierce: 1249-Jay: 284; Eliasberg; Ullmer: 420 at $5,500 (spot r. of 2). Several of the survivors are impaired: NN54:835; Wolfson:298 and others, Ex. rare.
- B-3. Repolished die of the regular issue, the business strikes having been made February 2 or one day before the first proofs. without the profile outlines or other distinguishing features of B-1; without the outlines at ITED AMERI of B-2. Early proofs have no bulge or other die failure, later proofs show traces of a bulge below U and truncation; LM 11/65:334. Rev.:
Date level and heavy, fairly close to DOLLARS and r. ribbon bow, placed so that r. edge of 2 is about in line with left upright of R. Early state: KS 2/60: 2668; Garrett: 449, $4750; LM 10/66:321. (When I catalogued it, I had not known that the proofs all followed the business strikes.)
Half Eagle. [30] *B-2. Date slightly below center, left base of lover r. edge, 18 about touch. Scroll normal. Exceedingly rare. A very few brilliant prooflike business strikes, not well struck up and showing field abrasion marks, may deceive collectors into thinking more of these are around. Probably under a dozen survive, some impaired. (1) S1. (2) ANS. (3) Garrett: 448, $5,750, obv. border stain. (4) Amon Carter Sr. & Jr. (5) Eliasberg. (6) KS 2/60:374. (7) Scanlon: 2495, $6,500, lint mark in field between 4th star and nose. Sources for the above presumably include Dunham:2149; WGC:426 and/or "Memorable" : 373; Gaylord: 346.
Eagle. [30] *B-1. Date very slightly above center and to r., slanting down to r. so that 2 is a little nearer border than 1; 18 apart; left base of 1 left of center of dentil. Under 12 survive. (1) S1. (2) ANS. (3) Eliasberg. (4) Garrett: 447, $8,500. (5) Golden 1:2676, cleaned. (6) Jay:320, Scanlon: 2495, light rub. (7) Miles:690, impaired. (8) KS 2/60:2794, possibly same as (5). (9) Wolfson:706. (10) Bell II:384. (11) "Gilhousen" :703,1974 ANA:914, choice, probably same as one of three preceding. (12) 1976 ANA: 3096. Sources for some of these include WGC:677, "Memorable": 571, and/or Menjou I: 1613. The business strikes (B-2) are just about as rare as the proofs; date is about centered, left base of 1 well to r. of center of dentil.
Double Eagle. [30] Date well to left, 1 very close to truncation and left edge of dentil, 2 close to border, 18 almost touch. Rev. as 187l. Exceedingly rare, probably under eight survivors. (1) S1. (2) ANS. (3) Eliasberg. (4) Garrett:446, $14,000. (5) Amon Carter Sr. & Jr. (6) 1974 ANA:1017, $22,500. (7) WGC:875, "Memorable": 694, possibly same as preceding. (8) Baldenhofer: 1536, Wolfson: 902.
Gold proof sets. [30] All delivered Feb. 3. Garrett's, broken up, totalled $38,600.
Complete proof sets. The Mint Cabinet set, now in SI, came from the Coiner Feb. 9 for $48.31 in greenbacks. ANS has another, of course, from Brock, Morgan. The rest appear to have been broken up long since. I would be very curious to know if the B-3 three-dollar piece is to be found in any original gold set; it is not at all impossible that the variety is a restrike.