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

1819

Cent. 1819/1S. Newcomb 1 (1) "Dupont":568, to H. Bareford. (2) Beckwith: 54, sharper stars, to SHC. Both specimens show nicks. (3) Mougey: 121 - possibly same as (2)?
- 1819 large date. N-2. New style 8 cut over old style 8 (of 1888); first 1 almost touches bust. Reliably reported years ago, not seen. (Wayte Raymond mentioned it also.) Cf. Woodward 5th sale (10/64): 663, possibly ex L. H. Abbey. Dr. French: 410, 'purple red,' is unverified.
-Small date, UNI too high, E in ONE too low, tops of TE in UNITED joined, bases of AT in STATES joined. N-S, state a. Known only from the report in Newcomb. (1) & (2) Mougey:118-19, to S.H.C. (3) Dr. French:415, red, unverified. Compare Sloss:306 (a Clarke duplicate), not seen. Note that T. James Clarke : 166, bought as a proof from Henry Chapman, turned out not to be one. Various prooflike business strikes reported. Allenburger:746, ex SHC 11/07, now in Calif. Specialist coll., is impaired and doubtful.

- Small wide date, lines at IB, 9th star recut; triple denticle above E in STATES, TA joined, R in AMERICA double punched. N-9 state a. Known from the report in Newcomb, probably referring (as with the N-8) to a Hines-Sheldon-Starr coin. Compare the possible impaired proof in the Kissner collection, sold as NN44: 371. T. J. Clarke: 170, privately ex Homer K. Downing, called a proof by Clarke, turned out not to be one. The two handled by the Kagins - 84: 3875 (5/27/50), red, and 109:55 (11/51), red and purple, are unverified.

No quarter dollar of 1819 as yet known in proof state. That claimed in the Allenburger collection (1948) reappeared in the Clarke collection as NN 48: 1567; it turned out to be an early striking of Browning 3, the common variety with even date and colon after C:, but not even deceptive.

Half Dollar. Perfect date. Lot 740, Newcomb sale, part I. This may be the J.N.T. Levick coin, sold in October 1864. Not seen, and no other reported.

No half eagle even rumored. Sets were probably not made.

1820

Cent. 1820/181, large date. N-1. Beckwith: 57, then to Henry C. Hines, Homer K. Downing, but not catalogued as a proof in Beckwith or the 1952 ANA sale (lot 2149), which included the Downing cents; to Harold Bareford.

- N-13. Large wide date, leaf points between D S and SO; encircling crack (lighter than usual) through stars and date. Ex Winsor: 916 (1895), H.P. Smith, B. Max Mehl (1924), W.F. Morgan:189, Mehl again, T.J. Clarke, Calif. Specialist. Not the best strike imaginable - four stars do not show their centers.

- N-I0. Large date, 8th star recut, triple denticle just left to top of U. (1) TAD:88, ex "Dupont":581, doubted by Dr. Sheldon; possibly ex Elder 12/24: 2272. (2) S. 1. ex Mint Cabinet, probably ex Adam Eckfeldt.

- Small date. N-6. Star point well to left of coronet point, top of I in LIBERTY double. Ryder: 843, ex Wayte Raymond, Mougey:132, Sleicher:1051; bought by Kagin, whereabouts now unknown. Possibly the same coin: Parmelee: 926, bought by Smith at the Parmelee auction, but not appearing in Smith's own collection so probably obtained on behalf of another collector. No other reported. It is incredible that Newcomb had not seen this one.

Dime. Breen 2-B, Clapp 2. Large 0, oldstyle letters, words normally spaced. Only one seen by me, and I lost track of it years ago. Oldstyle letters have little distinction between thick and thin elements; serif of C's wedge-shaped, rather than vertical with sharp points.

- B. 7-H, Clapp 4 (formerly called 6-F). Large 0, modern letters, last two stars too far apart, 9th faintly recut, 1 in 10 C. recut, unusually large period. Last variety of the year, the bulk of the production coins being struck in 1821. One proof seen, many years ago, and I have also lost track of this one. Compare Cleneay: 1488; Maris: 100 ex H.P. Newlin.

Quarter Dollar. Browning 1; Haseltine 3. Large wide date, long peak to 1; C in value nearer to stem than to border, normal olive leaves. (I) WGC: 69, the Boyd coin. Compare Cleneay: 1330 and Winsor: 592. I have seen two others, possibly three.

- B-2; not in Haseltine. Same obv.; rev., olive leaf at left of lower berry joins border. (1) Smithsonian, from Mint collection, No. 785. (2) Obv. proof, rev. unc., "Dupont": 1793, apparently the Browning, Col. Green coin, pictured in the Browning book, plate 4.

- B-4; H-1. Small 0, large 5. Obv. proof, rev. unc .. Earle: 3052 - Ryder - Wayte Raymond - NN49: 1146.

Half Dollar. Overton 103 = Beistle 4-D,Haseltine 5, Clapp 5. Small curled curved-base 2 without knob, large 0, closely spaced date; D low, TE in STATES about touch at tops. Only one proof reported: Winsor: 498 (1895). The variety is seldom seen in any state, both dies quickly cracking up.

- Overton 105 = Beistle 3b-C, H-6, C-6. Very wide large date, the 2 knobbed and with flat base; no defect on zero; 50C about equidistant; triple denticle under second leaf pair. Winsor: 499, T. James Clarke (the same coin?).