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

1841

*Half Cent. Same type as 1840. Several on blanks whose edge had previously been reeded by Castaing machine; many have extreme flaming brilliance mentioned under 1840. Before making the obverse die of this year, the hub suffered an injury consisting of a dent on the hair near ear, and this dent shows on all half-cents 1841-57 save for the 1854 in which fine hair (added by hand on the working die) replaces it. Large berry reverse of 1840. About 24 specimens known, half a dozen of these impounded in museums: 4 or 5 are worn (d. "Century": 106, VF). Two were in the Ryder sale, two in Holmes. Brobston's was offered at $700, Gardner's brought $600 (1965). No restrikes with the large berry reverse. All show traces of die crack through 3rd to 7th stars - microscopic only in Eliasberg's, the MHS coin, and Baldenhofer: 113 ex "Dupont": 1131, varying from light to fairly heavy on the others.

Cent. *N-1. Sharp curl point above left edge of upright of 1; no recutting on first 1, no die scratches near head. Rev. Faint line joins NI at bases.

Sometimes with minute dot in field above ribbon loop below N in CENT; sometimes with tiny rim break above second T in STATES. (Warfield collection.) A couple of dozen proofs and no business strikes from these dies, many having fiery color like the 1840-41 half cents. Borders are often rounded, centering not perfect but the quality of surface and striking leaves no doubt of their status. Six were in the Chapman "Eavenson" sale of 1903, from a mint official's collection (probably Patterson DuBois).

Half Dime. *V-1. Small die scratch below arm holding cap; rev. small die flaw r. of D in UNITED. (1) Bullowa, May 1952. (2) Smithsonian, from Mint. (3) Atwater: 1147, slightly impaired. (4) Dr. Green: 1086 (1949). Either of the above or the first might have been from Cleneay: 1683 (ex McCoy: 639, Leslie?) or H. P. Smith: 1017. (5) Untraced specimen from the (Col. Green) silver-minor set broken up about 1942/43 in New York, mentioned in Numismatic Review I, 3:29 (1943). This may have been No.4 above and/or Golden I: 898. Others probably exist; Valentine exhibited one at ANS 1914. Cf. "Dupont": 1379.

Dime. *Without Drapery. Breen 1. Drastically lapped die, stars smaller than usual, rocky base shorter; border broader than normal. (1) Untraced specimen from the (Col. Green?) silver-minor set mentioned under the half dime. Brilliant. (2) NN 57:466, EF+, obviously ex-Proof, $875, Kagin Sale of 70s (11/73): 1107, $52,000; claimed to be ex WGC:519, "VF," not verified. I did not see one in SI: probably it was long since traded away. (3) Boyd, WGC: 519, "VF," later Kagin 11/73: 1107? -sharper but weakly struck. I did not see one in SI: probably it was long traded away.

- With drapery. N.Y. state specialist set.

A "one-sided" proof (drapery not specified) was H. P. Smith 10/15/81:440.

Quarter. Date slants slightly up to right. (1) SI, ex Mint? (2) N.Y. state specialist. (3) Kabealo, 1941, later 1959 ANA: 2480, NN 54: 1113, last seen in hands of Lester Merkin. (4) Col. Green's set, broken up in NYC ca. 1942/3, mentioned under Half Dime. This might conceivably be one of the preceding.

Half Dollar. Beistle 1a-B. Centered date - claimed as possible overdate! Rev. Open mouth to eagle (lapped die). I do not recall if any of these show clash marks within shield - illustrations are not clear enough for certainty. (1) SI, ex Mint? (2) Dr. R. H. Wilson, 1952 ANA: 310, Landau: 575. (3) Golding:232. (4) Cass, "Empire": 1352. Possibly same as either of preceding. (5) Brand, Lichtenfels 1:2806. (6) Ex broken set mentioned above. (7) Reed Hawn: 132, $2100, probably same as one of foregoing. (8) Tatham Coin Co., Burton Buckley, Douglas Weaver. (9) ANS, dubious, dies imperfectly polished. One of the foregoing was owned by W. L. Carson; another, N.Y. state specialist. Cf. also H. P. Smith:675; Earle: 2970. It appears that at least fiveof the above are different, the rest probable duplications.

Silver Dollar. *B-1. Unusually small stars-lapped die. Rev. as on other proofs in the forties, with the two minute defects on r. side of final A. (1) SI ex Mint? (2) Haseltine Type Table sale, R. Coulton Davis, Davis-Graves: 1338. (3) Newcomer, Boyd, WGC: 128, probably reappearing as Golding: 232. (4) Brand estate, "J. H. South":803. (5) Col. Green, broken set mentioned above. (6) J. C. Morgenthau 3/18/40, Phila. Estate. (7) Amon Carter Sr. & Jr., slightly impaired. Those in 1962 N.Y. Metropolitan: 1624 and N.Y. state specialist set are believed to be reappearances of pieces already mentioned.

Silver-minor proof sets. Evidently several were made, or 1841 would also have been excepted in the J ones enumeration (1860); but to date the only original set traced outside SI was Col. Green's, broken up in NYC (1942/43), mentioned under the half dime. The N. Y. specialist's set was probably assembled. It is extremely odd that so many copper proofs were minted with so few silver.