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

For the 1838 O half dollar, see Branch Mint Proofs, below.

*Silver Dollar. Gobrecht design, 13 obv. stars as on smaller silver. Rev. Flying eagle, no stars. Reeded edge. [25] Struck July 5, 1838. Originals have dies aligned normally as on most U.S. coins. Exceedingly rare, none seen in recent years. Those lately offered are restrikes with dies aligned or eagle horizontal as on 1856-S cents rather than "Onward and Upward" as on originals, circular ornaments flanking ONE DOLLAR not level; often with knife-rims unlike originals. All the plain edge coins, and the few with starry rev. of 1836, are restrikes; see Restrikes and Fantasy Pieces. In the mid 1930's, owing to a typographical error in Adams-Woodin, the idea got around that only 3 to 5 regular 1838's were struck - sending prices into the sky. C. E. Green (Mint Record and Type Table, 1936) first doubted it, but it is still occasionally quoted. A few originals and probably over 100 restrikes play Musical Chairs, mostly cleaned, some badly scrubbed, nicked, dented, impaired or frankly circulated, a few even mutilated. Perfect proofs are seldom seen. The 1838's are traditionally listed as patterns, but as mintage records survive in regular Archives coinage ledgers, and considering the parallel with 1836dollars and halves, the pattern vs. regular issue status distinction appears to have been obscured in the Director's and Coiner's minds at least. For unequivocal pattern issues such as the 1836 gold dollars and 2¢ pieces, etc., there are no records of quantities minted or distributed aside from occasional submission of samples.

Quarter Eagle. Unknown, but possibly may have been struck as all other denominations are known for this year.

Half Eagle. Variety unknown. The unique example is in the Omaha City Library, from the Byron Reed estate; possibly Parmelee: 1083 but if so then it was underdescribed by Proskey & Smith (cataloguers of that auction).

Eagle. Gobrecht design, head left with markedly curved truncation; eagle similar to that on the smaller gold. [4+] Struck December 6, 1838. Low date, final 8 high, left base of lover center of dentil. (1) Smithsonian, from Mint Cabinet, presumably reserved by the Director or AdamEckfeldt, as Eckfeldt had in the meantime turned over his collection (accumulated since 1792) to the Mint Cabinet as the basis for our National Collection. (2) Eliasberg, somewhat impaired. (3) Ex Cardinal Spellman, gem. Pictured in Coin World, Jan. 2, 1974, p. 42. Offered by Paramount at $125,000. (4) N. Y. State private collection; tarnish spot before nose. Ex Parmelee: 1082, Woodin: 1201, Newcomer, Green, B. G. Johnson, J. F. Bell, dealer intermediaries, King Farouk. One of these last two specimens appears to have been the piece sent to the Secretary of the Treasury by Director Robert Maskell Patterson.

Proof sets probably did not include the gold; very few made, if any. Occasion unknown.

1839

Cent. N-2. Head of 1838, leaf point left of center of stand of F. Reported - Stickney: 1618, not now located, authenticity questioned.

- N-6. Booby head; second berry split, as is fifth; no loop on left stem (opposite T of UNITED). Perfect dies. Reported from Dr. French collection, ANS 1914 exhibit, later Dr. French: 590. Not seen, authenticity doubted.

Half Dime. V-2. Double cut 39. (1) Bullowa, May 1952. (2) Merkin 4/66:71 at $625, H. W., 1971 ANA:617. (3) R. C. W. Brock, Univ. of Penna., Philip H. Ward, S 4/30/64:1011, possibly same as preceding. (4) Menjou:108, Lohr:254, not perfect; possibly W. L. Carson, not traced since the robbery of his coins.

Dime. B-1. Date not recut. (1) J. N. T. Levick, Woodward sale 10/1864, H. P. Smith: 944, Brand estate, Landau:444, W. L. Carson, 1976 ANA: 816, $3,000. (2) J. G. MacAllister, T. James Clarke, NN 47: 1629, impaired. It is barely possible that the first record (prior to Brand) covers two similar pieces. Cf. McCoy: 583, Col. Cohen.

Quarter. WGC:147. No other even rumored.

Half Dollar. Draped Bust. (1) A. C. Gies, before 1940. (2) Reported by Wayte Raymond. Both presently untraced.

For the 1839 O half dollar proofs, see Branch Mint Proofs, below.

- Liberty Seated, no drapery. [1+] August 13, 1839, one proof and one frosty unc. of the new design were sent by Mint Director Patterson to the Secretary of Treasury. They were distinguished in the description even though the word "proof" was not used. (1) Norweb, probably ex Winsor: 539, Neil:474, 1948 ANA: 1766. (2) Boyd, WGC:246, Adolph Friedman, 1946 ANA: 812, E. M. Seneca, S 3/65:440, 1976 ANA: 1172, $10,000. Unverified; from a reverse cracked through MERICA and HALF DOL., and from rim through leaf, eagle, shield, wing at r. and to R. (3) Reed Hawn: 125, $10,500 - same coin?

- Liberty Seated, slightly modified design: extra Fold at drapery at elbow. "Menjou": 15, possibly reappearing as Lichtenfels I: 2799. Unverified.