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

*B-4. Centered date, 1 normal. Rev. as B-3.

Very rare, this and B-3 thought to comprise the final 125 of June-September as these have the first 1867 reverse. QS 11/76:1147.

NB: For the quarter, half and dollar without motto, see Restrikes and Fantasy Pieces.

Silver-minor proof sets. There were 725 in all: 100 apiece on January 17, 23 and 29; 200 on February 9, 100 on March 5, none of these containing the 5-cent nickel. On June 11 and July 25, 50 more apiece, finally 25 on September 17. At least one of the sets was filled out with uncirculated coins (from dime through silver dollar), the uncirculated pieces being offered in the NN 57th sale. I have also heard of at least one other set of the same date containing an uncirculated half dollar. Some of the sets now extant - there are quite a number - may have been assembled. Cf. Bartlett: 997 at $2,700. This could have been done relatively cheaply until a few years ago, the only stumbling block being the 5¢ nickel; now the task would be somewhat more challenging because of the silver coins with motto, which have becomevery popular.

Gold Dollar. [30] Date from the half dime logotype, heavy, nearer to ribbon bows than to DOLLAR, and level. *B-1. Heavy low date, wreath tops joined. Almost R-7. Very few auction records. (1) Smithsonian. (2) ANS. (3) WGC-"Memorable": 22. (4) Scanlon: 1972. Compare "Cicero": 397, very faintly hairmarked; 1962 New York Metropolitan sale: 2640; that in the October 1965 PNG auction; Menjou: 432; Dr. Green; Delp: 774 ex Dines:799.

Quarter Eagle. [30] *B-1. Date as on dimes, about central between border and device, level (not slanting down as on business strikes), 1 not recut; rev. recutting in R. (1) SI. (2) ANS. (3) Eliasberg. (4) WGC –"Memorable":125. (5) Atwater:2117, Grant Pierce: 1184, clashed rev. die, possibly one of the 5 made on June 8. (6) Brand estate, Ira S. Reed, Gaskill, NN 48:310, R. P. (7) Merkin 10/69:402. (8) Nate Shapero: 845, obv. field nick. Few others; possibly under 12 survivors in all.

Three Dollars. [30] *B-l. Obv. of 1865 originals. Rev. Date as on the quarter, left upright of 1 below left serif of L, without excessive heaviness on 1 (unlike nonproofs, which have recut M and heavy 1 of date).

- *B-2. Obv. of 1867 proofs. Rev. as preceding. The following were not attributed. (1) SI. (2) ANS. (3) Eliasberg. (4) Wolfson: 291, possibly reappearing as Ullmer:416, $7,500. (5) Impaired, Stadiem's nicked coin, Stadiem-Gardner: 680. (6) Impaired, Grant Pierce: 1253, field rubbing. (7) Impaired, Nicholson Family - Scanlon:2215, like preceding. (8) Breen 1: 117, lint mark before mouth, edge nick top obv. Several other more or less impaired pieces seen. The date is not quite as rare (proofs and nonproof taken together) as 1863-65, but proofs are at least as lu.re as the dollar and quarter eagle, and very few are choice. The number of alleged proofs has been inflated by first strikes intended for circulation.

Half Eagle. [30] First year regularly with motto. *B-1. Date to left; left base of lover r. edge of dentil. (1) SI ex Mint. (2) Brock, Morgan, ANS. (3) Dunham:2143. (4) Dr. Judd, "Ill. Hist." :322. (5) Menjou:1511. (6) Dr. Clifford Smith:1733, to a dealer. (7) Melish:2126, Garland Stephens. (8) 1969 ANA: 1970. (9) QS 9/73:1183 -1974 ANA:881, $9,750. (10) 1976 ANA:2990. These probably include some duplications; most likely under ten survive.

Eagle. [30] First year regularly with motto. *B-1. Date too far left; no recutting on it. (1) Mint, SI. (2) Brock, Morgan, ANS. (3) "Memorable": 565, possibly the coin reappearing in Mocatta Metals reference collection. (4) Impaired, Davis-Graves: 946. (5) 1976 ANA:3090, cloudy, $15,000. (6) Geiss:1893. There are probably three others around; ten survivors would be a liberal estimate.

Double Eagle. [30] First year regularly with motto. Extremely rare. Obv. has date beginning very close to bust and slanting down to r. so that 6 is minutely closer to border than is l. Top of extra 1 in raised rim below r. base of l. Left base of lover left edge. (1) Smithsonian. (2) ANS. (3) Eliasberg. (4) Atwater:1258 - Eliasberg -"H. R. Lee":1710 - NN 49: 116 - J. Cohen. (5) Dunham: 230B. (6) WGC: 859-"Memorable": 691. (7) Baldenhofer: 1529, cloudy, but it may have been dipped in the interim. One of these: Texas private collection. (8) 1973 GENA: 546 - Breen I: 305, cleaned, nicked near tip of nose. There may be as many as a dozen around in all. Cf. "Alto": 423, cleaned; Dr. Judd, "Ill. Hist.": 326.

The dies with motto on reverse were Longacre's design.

Gold proof sets. [30] There were 25 gold sets ($1 to $20) minted on January 15, 5 more on June 8.

Complete proof sets. The complete set, cent to $20, in the Smithsonian was obtained January 22 from the Coiner. A recheck of its half dime and trime would be of interest; it would appear to have contained silver and minor proofs from the initial delivery of January 17. The only other one is in ANS, from Brock, Morgan.