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

Minor proof sets. Said to contain cent, 2¢ and nickel 3¢. None seen, doubtless because they were broken up on behalf of collectors needing the 3¢.

"Prototype" Five Cents. Identical type adopted in 1866, shield, stars and rays. Judd 416, Adams-Woodin 506. Identical reverse used on 1866 proof nickels, with center dot. Date from nickel 3¢ logotype. Possibly eight known. Judd, "Ill. Hist.":291.

Second "Prototype" Five Cents, exact type adopted in 1867 without rays, Judd 418 = A W 508, is thought to be an afterthought, as its reverse is a die used in 1868. Possibly five known. Dr. Judd, "Ill. Hist. " : 292.

Trime. [500] State I: Perfect outlines to star. Touches of repunching on upper r. part of upright of 1, r. side of loop of 5. (Entirely unlike the rarer business strikes with repunched 65.) State II: Repolished. Upper r. border of star attenuated, recutting on date faded, and a crack - absent or faint on State I - is plain and becomes heavy, from rim into field just left of date.

A second variety has upper parts of 65 filled, no repunching, star outlines plain, TE of STATES join at top; rev. die file mark slanting down near border at 12:00. Very rare, thought to be a replacement for the broken die just described.

Half Dime. [500] V-I. Date a little above center, early impressions with all of 865 filled, later with part of 8 only filled. Skirt pendant about over knob. Left base of 1 just r. of left edge. Rev. Both ribbon ends clear of wreath. The usual variety.

- *B-2, not in Valentine. Clear numerals, 1 heavily repunched, ribbon ends touch. Discovered by W. W. Neil. Neil:l681, NN 50:364, 51:564, few others. Note:

The small lump found on lower r. part of upper loop of 8 in many denominations is a peculiarity of the date logotypes, not a die defect.

Dime. *B-1. [500] High date slants up, line up from top of cap, skirt pendant left of center of 6. Very faint traces of repunching within lower loop of 865 (fade); r. ribbon end clear. Compare the piece in Lester Merkin's auction, April 1966, at $85.

- Date similarly placed, no trace of recutting. "Gilhousen": 402.

Quarter. [500] Date roughly centered, level, shield point over left upright, left base of 1 over left edge. - Low date slanting up to right. (Business strikes have recutting on 1 and between 65.)

The obverses found on the two supposed patterns of this year appear to be different.

- *Transitional piece, type adopted in 1866 with motto IN GOD WE TRUST on scroll. Judd 425, Adams-Woodin 499. [7?] Very rare, but at least three different ones are traced, one of them from the set of three in Woodside: 161 (quarter, half and dollar of same design), apparently from Parmelee: 1347. Cf. Atwater: 722, Dr. Judd-I11. Rist.": 294; 1976 ANA: 3590, $2800.

Half Dollar. [500] Beistle shows only a variety (his I-A) with date above center of exergual space. None recently examined; probably rarer than following.

- Centered date slanting down, shield point between 18, left base of 1 above space, rev. of 1864 proofs. 1975 ANA: 635, others. Many of the survivors have been poorly cleaned.

-*Transitional piece, type of 1866 with motto IN GOD WE TRUST on scroll. Judd 429, AW 494. [7?] Same comment as to the quarter; about of the same rarity. Compare Atwater: 500; "Dupont": 2428; Reed Hawn: 226 at $1,900; 1976 ANA: 3610, $3750. Note that the date on this coin is placed low in exergual space.

Silver Dollar. [500] *B-1. Centered date minutely slanting up. Shield point minutely left of tip of 1. Rev.: As 1863 B-1 above, but with arc of inner circle at dentils above UNIT.

-*Transitional piece, type of 1866 with motto IN GOD WE TRUST on scroll. [7?] Obv. of *B-l above, rev. of 1866 B-3, B-4, 1867 B-1, B-2. Judd 434, AW 490. Same comment as to the transitional quarter; seven 3-piece sets thought to have been made. (1) Parmelee:1347 (with half and quarter), Woodside: 161, Woodin, Brand, Judd, "Ill. Hist.":294, LM 6/70: 650. (2) Atwater: 257, Ewalt: 46. (3) "Dupont":2657. (4) O.K. Rumbel, 1952 ANA:2874. (5) "A Phila. coil., since before 1950." - Merkin. One of these brought $10,000 as 1976 ANA:3616. Cf. 3-pc. set, 1942 ANA:397, 366, 310.

Silver-minor proof sets. Some 100 each made on Feb. 25, March 10, 16, 20 and 24. The first of these could not have included the nickel 3¢; I saw one of those in the original mint wrappers, bronze coins very dull, silver tarnished. Unfortunately the coins were dispersed before I knew of the varieties of 2¢ or silver coins. I have since seen one in original case of issue, black morocco, lined with blue satin and aquamarine plush; in three rows, left to right, 25¢, 10¢, 5¢, 3¢ nickel/ cent, trime /2¢, 50¢, dollar. The2¢ was second variety, 3¢ 2-B, half dime V-I, dime B-1, quarter first variety.

Gold Dollars. [25 originals] *B-2. Thin letters. Rev. Level date, from the repolished die of the Jan. 27 business strikes. Mostly from perfect dies, but one is known (exRawls, Russell Heim: 777) heavily buckled across head from TA to FA. Under 15 survive today.

The restrikes (*B-3) have date sloping up to right; obv. die not yet identified. Only two have been seen.

Quarter Eagle. [25] *B-1. Date very high, nearly touching device. End of curl above 5 (not 6 as in nonproofs). Left base of lover space. Rust pits on neck. Very rare, but fewer nonproofs survive than proofs, counting as proofs the nicked, scratched and poorly cleaned survivors. A most difficult date. (1) SI. (2) ANS. (3) Eliasberg. (4) WGC, "Memorable":124. (5) Wolfson: 192, Ullmer:37l, $10,000, small stain on azure. (6) Davis-Graves: 7l6. (7) T. 1. Gaskill, NN 48:308, R. P. (8) John Zug estate, NN 48:531, Kagin. (9) Melish, impaired, possibly reappearing as Miles: 194. Compare also Atwater: 1969, Grant Pierce: 1182 (hairlined); Menjou: 1215; Amon Carter Sr. & Jr. I have seen possibly a dozen in all counting at least three rather doggy ones which had left the mint as proofs and suffered badly in the meantime.