Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of United States and Colonial Proof Coins 1722-1989

Half Eagle. First type, as in 1828: large date, stars, letters, large flan, radial denticles, struck in open collar. Only one of the six known specimens has the slightest claim to proof status. This is Atwater: 1646, ex David S. Wilson: 79, ex Randall: 934 (1885), obv. proof, rev. unc. In the Atwater sale, Mehl's 26-line description failed to mention grade!

-Second type, as in 1830: small nan, beaded borders, closed collar; small date, stars and letters. Three of the six known are proofs. (1) SI, from Mint collection. (2) Norweb, ex Col. Cohen: 149, Parmelee: 989, Lyman Low, James Ten Eyck, Waldo Newcomer, Col. E.H.R. Green, King Farouk. (3) Omaha City Library, from Byron Reed estate, earlier source unknown.

Proof sets are quite likely to have been made this year on at least two occasions. Resumption of mintage of half-dimes, July 4, and initiation of new style coinage in the gold, might well have been the occasions, though absolute proof is lacking. The earlier sets presumably had the triple stripe half dimes, and probably no gold; the later sets, the double stripe half dimes and a few at least contained one or both gold pieces.

1830

Cent. Newcomb 10. Second Inner Circle (date curved, wider than on N-1, the First Inner Circle). Leaf barely beyond stand of F. (1) SI, ex Mint collection. (2) Lelan Rogers, ex a Swiss estate, L. M. 3/68: 181. (3) Philadelphia Estate, ex McCoy: 712, Zanoni, Cleneay: 1874, Mougey: 163, Newcomb II: 621. (4) Seen in 1950's. The variety is exceedingly rare even in business strike form as this reverse rapidly broke up.

- N-1. Philadelphia Estate, ex Sargent: 581, Beckwith: 77, SHC, Morgenthau 10/5/38: 623.

Half Dime. V-10. In date 0 too high; minute spine up from scroll between two S's ; base arc line may show between F A. (1) A coin formerly owned by this writer; signs of cleaning. (2) One shown me by David M. Bullowa, May 1952. (All so identified remain intact in a private collection, 1975.)

- V-8. Similar; end stars unusually far from drapery and curl. Rev. of 1829 V-8, earlier described. (1) Bullowa, May 1952. (2) LM 4/66:64, H. W., 1971 ANA: 610, Reed Hawn: 563, $1,150.

- V-5. Faint crack from 6th star through cap, thence between 8th and 9th stars to border. Rev. Final Sand M partly filled. Business strikes are from later die states. Evidently struck in 1831 as this rev. appears in earlier state (without defects) on 1831 V-6. Occasion for restriking unknown but apparently not official skulduggery. (1) Sl, ex Mint coll., no. 1007. (2) Eliasberg. (3) LM 9/70: 238, possibly the piece he showed me in early 1966.

Other specimens of this denomination, unattributed, have been seen or are reliably reported in proof state: (a) Parmelee: 1000, Byron Reed, Omaha City Library. (b) Grant Pierce: 428. (c) W. L. Carson.

Dime. Narrow 0 in 10 C. Breen 2-B. (1) Byron Reed estate, Omaha City Library. (2) Parmelee: 999, Steigerwalt, Woodin, F. C. C. Boyd, WGC: 485, Neil: 1227. (3) Lohr: 398, possibly same as last. (4) 1946 ANA: 248, same comment. (5) Ex W. L. Carson, possibly one of foregoing. Compare also Cleneay: 1504 and Winsor: 686. All we can be sure of is that one is impounded in Omaha, and that at least two others are around.

Half Dollar. Small O. Rev. Die defect lump at border r. of F. Ov. 110 = Beistle 8a-G and possibly also Beistle I-A. (1) Parmelee: 998, Woodin, possibly later Newcomer, Col. Green, which would make it the coin known to Beistle. (2) 1949 ANA, R. T McPherson:879, C. A. Cass, "Empire" :1330. (3) Davis-Graves: 519, not verified. (4) LM 2/71:720. (5) "Terrell": 837. (6) Reed Hawn: 93, $1,250. The last three coins may represent reappearances of one or two of the above; we cannot be sure that as many as five different ones exist. I have also seen, in the early 1950's, two others with reasonable claims to proof status, but have long since lost track of them. It is a safe guess that at least three are around in all. It is not known if these have first, second or third edge.

Quarter Eagle. Only one variety of the year. (1) Sl, from Mint collection. (2) Omaha City Library, from Byron Reed bequest. (3) Parmelee: 997 - W. H. Woodin: 945 - Waldo Newcomer - Col. GreenB. G. Johnson - F. C. C. Boyd - WGC: 96 - "Memorable": 90. Slightly impaired. (4) Jerome Kern: 18, believed ex G. H. Hall: 1730 (1945), H. P. Smith: 253 (1906). This or preceding believed reappearing as H. R. 11/69:397 at $2,900. Cf. Gaylord:l04, unverified; "H.R. Lee":1001.

Half Eagle. Breen 1. Large 5 D., rev. of 1829. One seen many years ago, but I have lost track of it. The variety is extremely rare even in business strike form.

- Breen 2. Small 5 D., the D narrow. The proof in Omaha City Library, ex Byron Reed bequest, is believed to be this variety; one other reported, known to Wayte Raymond. It is rather unlikely that more than a very few sets could have been made up; occasion unknown.