Walter Breen
Cent. [600+] Normal date. With and without line from r. top of M to border. Under pressure from date collectors, mostly of the kind for whom proof is a more desirable "grade" than uncirculated but in the same scale. A rumored overdate proof has never been verified.
Two Cents. [600+] Two striae cross in field above WE; these fade. Left base of 1 slightly r. of left edge; date high near ball. Rev. top serif of D missing from now on except when hand-restored (hub chipped).
Three Cents Nickel. [600+] Wider numerals than in 1868. Recutting shows on 69. Date high, faint line from (I)T to border. ANS, and d. NN 53:424. Later, recutting fades out, except for a faint trace within right curves of 9. Same rev. as last 1868's. These and the 5¢ nickel proofs are sometimes more brilliant than any earlier or most later nickel proofs, reason unknown, possibly quality of nickel strip.
Five Cents Nickel. [600+] Wide numerals, unlike 1868, date away from ball, or on a second die date is very close to ball (Garrett set). Rev.: Same as first hub of 1868, originally from 1867. Note: There are many nonproofs claimed as overdates, and I have heard a rumor of an overdate proof. The only true overdate 1869 nickel is a nonproof variety having narrow numerals as in 1868; reverse type of 1867-8. I have seen possibly three in all. Narrow numerals 1869 nickels are found only in nonproof, to date, 3 or 4 minor varieties known including the 1869/8, and they are many times as rare as the wide numerals type. Wide numerals coins sometimes come with double date (often mistaken for overdate) and sometimes with a reverse hub found on nickels of 1870-83 with stars well away from legend, some pointing to extreme left foot of A in STATES, a little left of r. edge of E in StATES, r. foot of left bases of M and of R. No proofs known of this later type.
Minor proof sets. As in 1866, none seen.
Trime. [600] *1869/68, narrow' numerals. The overdate is very faint and difficult to see without high magnification, later disappears. Discovered by Don Taxay. R-7. Garrett set.
- Normal date, wider numerals, point of star very close to space between 86. Striae slant up in thin stripes. This is less rare, the variety usually encountered. Hardly a real rarity but subject to considerable pressure from date collectors as nonproofs are extremely rare.
Half Dime. [600] V-I. High date, shield point almost over left upright of 1, skirt pendant almost in line with knob of 6, left base of lover r. part of denticle; r. end of ribbon barely clear. ANS, Valentine, others. .
- V-2. Date about centered, shield point about over tip of peak of 1, skirt pendant slightly left of center above 6, left base of 1 close over slightly left of center of denticle; date shows faint recutting, which fades out. Eliasberg; Valentine plate. This appears to be scarcer.
- B-5. Central date well to left. Rev. of V-4. Merkin 6/71: 700.
Dime. [600] Pendant between left curves of 6, shield point barely left of tip. Die file marks from (A)T and 0 to border. Rev.: Ribbons free. Lester Merkin auction, April 1966, others.
Quarter. [600] Spine through 4th and 5th stars, shield point over r. upright. Rev.: Line slants down to left from base of E(S) to scroll, scattered field striae. Few rust pits near ES OF.
Half Dollar. [600] Beistle shows only one variety (B.I-A) of proofs, that having first six stars doubled, date minutely above center of exergual space, shield point over r. foot, left base of 1 about central. Rev. The word GOD is sometimes weak (Beistle says absent).
- Same obv., earlier state? Most stars show extra outlines. Rev. of 1868. Garrett set, others.
--- No extra outlines on stars. Rev. Last white stripe filled. Rust pit on tail of R. Which is rarest?
Silver Dollar. [600] *B-1. Low date, shield point left of center of upright. Rev. of 1868. Very rare in silver. Also used for nickel strikings.
- *B-2. High date, shield point over left edge of upright. Rev. Heavily lapped, scroll incomplete below ING and ST; the die of 1870. Usually met with.
- *B-3. Date a. little above center, shield pointover tip of serif of 1. Rev. As last. Garrett set; 1974 GENA: 1085. Rarer than preceding.
Silver-minor proof sets. Quite a few are around, some doubtless assembled. Cf. Garrett: 303, $3,800; Bartlett: 1000; Phila. Estate.
Delivery dates:
Feb. 1 100
Feb. 18 200
March 10 50
March 26 50
May 12 50
July 12 50
Oct. 8 100
Gold Dollar. [25] *B-1. Date about central (on business strikes it is low); narrow numerals; faint striae in field below AR, r. of large 1, etc. A small mintage of business strikes made Feb. 15, followed Feb. 19 by the proofs. Rarer than 1868.
Quarter Eagle. [25] *B-1. Low date slants up to r.; line above base of L. Rarer than the dollar, possibly 12 to 15 known. Garrett's, cloudy, brought $4,000. It has been impossible to distinguish most of them from the few catalogue photographs: Bell I, Atwater, WGC, Brand-Reed-Gaskill-NN48 to R.P.; Melish: 1268-Sloss; LM 9/67:346, 4/70:670; LM 10/69:405; S 5/68:761. Scanlon:2099 (nicked, edge spot at 3:30).
Three Dollars. [25] *B-1. Normal date, low, without recutting on 9, without traces of overdate; upright of 1 below r. curves of O. Very rare. (1) S1. (2) ANS. (3) Eliasberg. (4) Garrett:431, $8,000. (5) Wolfson:295. (6) C. Jay:281 ex Grant Pierce: 1256, flan somewhat granular, oddly double struck. (7) Ullmer: 418, cheek slide mark. Possibly as many as adozen survive. Copper and aluminum strikings have the 1870 obverse.
Half Eagle. [25] B-1. Date a little high, well to left; left base of 1 r. of center. Possibly from the dies of the rare business strikes. Extremely rare, under pressure from date collectors; fewer business strikes known in acceptable condition than proofs. (1) S1. (2) ANS. (3) Garrett: 430, $4,750, hairlined. (4) Ullmer:453; $5,750. (5) Johnson (S 1/58):1943, imp. (6) Flanagan: 1147 to A(dolph?) F(riedman?). (7) Mocatta Metals, probably same as (4). (8) Amon Carter Sr. and Jr.