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

Half Dollar. [1039] First die: Extra lock of hair, convex downwards, on decollete; date slightly below center; slight extra outlines on first three and last 4 stars. Rev. Faint die file marks up to left from O(F); line slants up through AME (fades).

Second die: No extra lock; centered date; extra outlines in first 4, last 4 and 7th stars; same reverse.

Many deceptive first strikes survive masquerading as proofs; some of these show the doubling on 3rd, 4th, 7th and last four stars mentioned by Beistle for nonproofs (his variety Ia-A, but it is not the same obverse die as on the proofs), others do not. Date collector pressure has begun to make itself felt more or less indiscriminately on the coins of this year, not too many hundreds of the 8000 business strikes Remaining in addition to the proofs; the business strikes have date slightly high, shield point between 18, left base of lover left edge. Still a little undervalued in comparison with some other dates of the period.

Mintage: First quarter 675, second 210, third 50, fourth 140, total 1075, of which 1039 were delivered with the proof sets, leaving 36 which were all melted at year's end.

Silver Dollar. [1039] Only one variety seen (minute wart on cheek, rev. of 1882) but others may exist. Deceptive first strikes are regrettably plentiful; same comment as to earlier years of the Morgan type. Some of the surviving proofs are badly cleaned, many are nicked and scratched, suggesting that on this date (as on others through the early and middle 1890's) some of the proofs were spent during the panic of 1893.

Mintage: First quarter 650, second 195, third 50, fourth 175, total 1075 of which 1039 were delivered with the proof sets, leaving 31 which were all melted at year's end.

*Trade Dollar. [979] Only one variety seen; flat head and stars are routine. Final year of legitimate issue and beginning to be coveted as such. Quite a few have been poorlycleaned, comparatively few really impaired by scratching or signs of circulation. (By that time Trade Dollars could hardly be spent at all.) Rarer than mintage figure suggests - possibly some were melted.

Mintage: Monthly coinage figures are given in Willem and there is no reason to doubt them. From them we learn little except that only 575 were made in the first quarter, as against 619 proof sets delivered, and only 152 in the second quarter compared with 200 proof sets. (See below). As in 1882, some 52 or more proof sets must have lacked the Trade.

Silver Proof sets. [947+?] It appears, from all that can be learned of delivery dates, that the 1039 sets delivered in this calendar year comprised 619 in first quarter, 200 in second, 50 and 170 in the other two = 1039. At most 947 of these, possibly fewer, could have contained the trade dollar in addition to the regular silver dollar. (The other Trades, of course, were sold separately.) These sets all naturally contained the minor coins, but as in former years' extra minor sets were separately made. I have seen many proof sets of this year but most were obviously assembled, others built up from original sets by adding one or both Liberty nickels and possibly the Trade as well. Garrett's, at $3,600, had only the shield nickel. No cased sets are reported.

Gold Dollar. [207] Date wider than in former years. Two varieties.

- B-1. Rust in hair behind ear. Rev. Normal 8's, first almost wholly below L; tops of wreath usually join; extra outlines to DOLLAR. R-5. Garrett: 481, $1,600.

- B-2. Recutting in 8's. R-6. Breen II: 47, $750. Deceptive early business strikes exist; borders granular on these but not on proofs. Often cleaned or nicked.

Mintage: Quarterly, 70, 29, 26 and 82, total 207, of which 40 went with the sets, Feb. 10. None recorded melted, 1874-89.

Quarter Eagle [82] Two varieties. Subject to great date collector pressure and possibly speculator interest as well, owing to rarity of business strikes.

- *B-1. Polish in ear hole. Low date, left base of lover left edge of dentil; no polish in first stripe. Garrett:480, $3,600, others.

- B-2. Date higher, left base of lover r. edge. 1974 GENA:1820. The business strikes from these dies are sometimes very deceptive.

Mintage: Quarterly, 45, 14, 10 and 12, total 82; 40 went with the sets, Feb. 10.

Three Dollars. [89] *B-1. Obv. as on some 1882 proofs, sometimes with rust in feather above T, different from business strikes. Rev. Low date slanting down to right, very top of 1 entirely below serif of L. Owing to low mintage of business strikes (900) this date has become almost as famous as 1881. There are a few deceptive early strikes (fortunately from B-2 dies: obv. of 1882 B-2, rev. centered date), and some proofs are carelessly made - enough to give a conscientious cataloguer the cold sweats complicated by the crawling heebie-jeebies. An impaired proof sold cheaply in Merkin 11 /65, another - less cheaply - in Ullmer at $2,000; records for unimpaired, $5,500, Garrett:479; $6,050, "Rio Rancho": 129.

Mintage: Feb. 10, 40 with sets; 13 more before March 31, 11, 7 and 18 in the other three quarters, total 89.

Half Eagle. [61] Date slants crazily up to r., odd minute raised marks in both loops of second 8, left base of 1 r. of center. Rev. Tiny marks in second white stripe. Much rarer than lower denominations. (1) S1. (2) ANS. (3) Eliasberg. (4) Morgenthau 5/5/39:261, Phila. Estate. (5) Beck I: 471, cleaned. (6) Garrett: 478, $2,700, pin scratch. (7) NN 40: 369, R. J. Lathrop, impaired. (8) Wolfson:534. (9) Melish:2194 to NN. It is doubtful if as many as 20 survive.

Mintage: Feb. 10, 40 with sets; 2 more in first quarter, 14 in second, 3 and 2 in last two, total 61. These are not distinguishable.

Eagle. [49] Low date slanting up, left base uf 1 over left edge. Rev. Incomplete feathers below shield. Rarer still. (1) S1. (2) ANS. (3) Eliasberg. (4) Garrett: 477, $4,400. (5) Phila. Estate, impaired. (6) Amon Carter Jr. (7) Davis-Graves, DiBello: 1097, lint mark before face. Probably under a dozen survive, including the impaired pieces. Far rarer than the double eagle; one of the most undervalued gold coins of the period.

Mintage: Feb. 10, 40 with sets; 1 more before March 30; 5 and 3 in second and third quarters, total 49.