The Early Quarter Dollars of the United States

No. 3

Reverse: Small letters in legend. The value, 25 C., small and high, near eagle; base of 2 is flat; 2 and 5 slightly larger than in [Browning] 1 and 2. The eagle has no tongue.

Dies perfect. A very rare variety.

Small date. First star from bust, eighth close to cap.

High 25 C. near eagle, close, heavy; flat based 2. Small faint tongue.
Browning-3; Clapp-4; Duphorne-59; included in Breen-3917; Haseltine-4.
Rarity 5.
Proofs: Gary Parietti. Fields engraved in script, obverse, "Presented / R.B. Potte" [sic]; reverse, "H.B.L. / R.B. Potter." ANACS Certificate, January 1980, to one H. Saunders, as Proof. No other seen with any claims to Proof status. RWM, Sr., calls this "possible Proof."

Usually in low grades, Good to Fine.

1. Merkin 6/10/69:88. Uncirculated. Apparently not the Col. Green coin on Plate V.
2. RW. Miller, Sr. AU+ (NGC "AU-58") Same as last.
3. Norweb:1547. AU+.
4. JRCS 181, AU.
5. Browning plate coin, AU or better.
6. JRCS 002, About EF.
7. Philip G. Strus Estate (5/59):1716. VF.
8. Bergen:66. VF, scratched.

Numerical Condition Census (RWM, Sr. [circa 1992]): 60, 60, 58, 55, 55, 50.

No. 4

Obverse: Last 1 in date almost entirely under curl; upper right star most distant from bust; lower left slightly nearer; lower right close to hair, two points equally distant.

Reverse: The same as [Browning] 3.

Dies perfect in early impressions; reverse is cracked in later pieces from bottom edge through C in value, up to stem of olive branch. This appears to be one of the most common varieties.

Small date. First star closer to bust, eighth far from cap.
Flat base 2; high close 25 C. near eagle; small faint tongue.
Browning-4; Clapp-3; Duphorne-60; included in Breen-3917; Haseltine-3.
Rarity-1.

Die States: I. Partial extra stripe at left; long clear tongue. Extremely rare.
II. Normal stripes; small faint tongue; die reground to remove clash marks.
III. Reverse cracked from bottom edge through C in value, up to stem of olive branch.
IV. Patch of die rust at final S. Rare.

Common in all grades including Mint State. Probably hoarded as first year of the type. There are probably at least 30 Mint State survivors, and [Breen] did not try to make a comprehensive roster.

Some of them have been described as "New Variety" or "Not in Browning," e.g. Spring:522 (the illustration prives it is a State III coin) and Robinson:1288. AU.

Numerical Condition Census (RWM, Sr. [circa 1992]): 65, 64, 64, 63, 63, 63 (many).

No. 5

Obverse: 3 in date low, long 1's over short 1's, last 1 almost entirely under curl; upper right star most distant from bust; lower left somewhat nearer; one point of lower right almost touches the hair.

Reverse: Large letters in legend. The value, 25 C., large and low, near border; base of 2 is curved. The eagle has no tongue.

Dies perfect. A scarce variety. Proofs were made from these dies.

Large date (tall 1's over short 1's)

Large Letters, large low 25 C., long arrowheads almost touch border.
Browning-5; Clapp-6; Duphorne-61; Breen-3919; Haseltine-6.
On early strikings traces of repunching show at base of 8; on later ones these fade away.
Rarity-3, Low.
Proofs include among others (revised from EPC list):
1. Eliasberg Estate.
2. Mougey:694, Allenburger:872, T. James Clarke, NN:1577.
3. Boyd, WGC:105, Kern:1416, John McNail, 1977 ANA:2185 in an associated Proof set.
4. Davis-Graves:338
5. Paramount FPL, Winter 1976, in set.
6. U.S. Coin Co., 1912 at $20 to Browning. Is this the Browning plate coin?
7. Picker, Norweb:1548, $27,500.

There was apparently a small hoard of Uncirculateds. Among the best:
1.J.A. Stack:35.
2. Gardner:1631
3. Grant Pierce:616.
4.Speir Estate sale:25.
5. "Spring":521.
6. R.W. Miller, Sr.

Numerical Condition Census (RWM, Sr. [circa 1992]): 65, 63, 63, 62PL (possible Specimen coin), 60PL (possible Specimen coin), 60.