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

*Silver Dollar. Identical type to 1838. [300] Date of manufacture unknown, reported as of Dec. 31. Starless rev., reeded edge. Originals have die alignment as on regular issues (see 1836, 38 dollars); restrikes come with alignments and. The copper pieces, the plain edge coins, and those with starry rev. of 1836 are all restrikes. Some restrikes of the regular type have high knife-rims, some show various states of cracks through legends.

See Restrikes and Fantasy Pieces, below. Originals are found in all grades from Fine to perfection; many have been cleaned to death, others show evidence of circulation, the distinction between patterns and regular issues not being clear in the minds of mint people.

Quarter Eagle. Unknown, though with the changed design proofs might well have been made.

Half Eagle. [2+] Two sent by Mint Director Patterson to the Secretary of the Treasury, March 22, 1839, bringing to his attention the new improved design. (1) Woodin (exhibited at ANS 1914), Newcomer, Col. Green, B. G. Johnson, King Farouk, present owner unknown. Supposedly a gem coin, though if Farouk had it cleaned, it might be the same piece as following. (2) Melish: 1983, cleaned; sold to Kagin, reappearing in the Hollinbeck sale of November 1959.

Eagle. Large letters, type of 1838. Date low, to left, many die file marks near rev. border. (1) Smithsonian, from Mint collection. (2) Parmelee: 1097 to Chapman, Jenks: 5735, John H. Clapp, now in Eliasberg collection. No rumor of a third specimen. It is extremely unlikely that proof sets were made up.