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

*1873 Two Cents. Open 3. One of these is seen for every 9 or 10 of the closed 3. Die file mark through base of T(R). Reverse same as late 1872 and closed 3 1873's, or sometimes a different die. Some are rather carelessly made proofs. Compare "Century": 339 at $750, Gardner at $650 (both 1965), Lester Merkin April 1966, etc.

*1873 Three Dollars. B-2, first restrike: obv. of 1872, late; rev. closed 3. dished, obv. convex, rev. concave, as though subjected to sidewise pressure after striking. All seen in gold are granular through obviously made as proofs. About 8 or 9 seen, one in Eliasberg, one in NN 51:957, one in Lester Merkin sale of October 1966, one ex KS 2/60:2670, one other lately making the bourse rounds.

* - B-3, second restrike: obv. of 1877-79, closed 3, normal without dishing; many specimens damaged by abrasion or nicks, dents, etc., at least 30 seen so out of possibly 50 known.

* - B-4. Rusted original dies, open 3. Boosel.

* - B-5. Worse yet, ANS has an extra 1873, not from the Brock, Morgan set, with closed 3 and an obv. not identical to any of the surrounding dates or to any of the other restrikes.

*1875. Three Dollars. Restrike from original dies, rusted on OL - a little above center of r., curves of 0, near top of upright of L; lower wreath flat, lowest of 3 maple leaves at left flat; extra outlines on outer curves of large 3, r. ribbons and much of r. wreath. Eliasberg, several others, possibly including Wolfson:303 at $17,000. I do not know if the copper and aluminum pieces are originals or restrikes.

The official restrikes of the 1879 Flowing Hair Stella [400+] have been discussed with the originals, p.164.

*1884 Trade Dollar. Simulated series coin. Unknown to the numismatic world before 1908 when John W. Haseltine brought out several specimens from the collection of proof sets in the estate of his father-in-law William Idler. Only one variety. Centered date from double eagle logotype, slanting slightly up to right. Thin die scratch above r. side of F in OF, faint crack joins tops of AM. [10?] (1) Menjou 1:2040, $765, Baldenhofer: 1039, $2,200, "Fairbanks" : 698, $6,500, Wolfson:1541, $8,750, unknown intermediaries, QS 11/76:426, $52,500. (2) Dunham: 1150, $315, Phila. Estate. (3) Eliasberg. (4) "Dupont": 2652. (5) Amon Carter Sr .. & Jr. (6) Col. Green, B.G. Johnson, Jack Roe:627, $665, Atwater: 377, $800, Neil: 296, $551, Pelletreau: 1054, $3300, J. Cohen, unknown intermediaries, S at 1974 ANA, J. Leidman (at $165,000 with an 1885), Jim Halperin for NERCG, offered in NERCG FPL 12/74 and 2/75 at $75,000, 1975 NENA:639, $39,000, Mulford B. Simons. (7) Olsen: 977, George Sealy Ewalt:42, $3600, cleaned, Dr. Calvert L. Emmons:814, $5,000, pvt. coll., 1972 at $16,000, Western Numismatics. (8) Pvt. coll., late 1940's, unnamed estate, 1976 ANA: 723 in assembled proof set, $34,000 for the set. (9) Chicago estate (allegedly since 1890's?!), RARCOA, Worldwide Investments, Steve Ivy, Robert Marks, 1972 pvt. sale, Hollywood FPL offered at $24,975, Herstal:734, $30,000, M. B. Simons and Donald Apte; Simons bought out Apte's interest, thence to pvt. coll. at $42,500. Light rubber band mark, knee to 4th star. One of foregoing was ex Granberg I: 392 (Mehl, 1913). The report that Josiah Lilly had one has not been verifiable.

This is listed as a piece de caprice as no accounting exists for bullion, dies, or distribution of specimens. The fiscal year report for 1884 which might be interpreted as meaning 264 struck (as claimed in the NERCG offering) actually covers the 264 proofs struck between June and December 1883. The monthly accounting, in Willem from the 1887 Director's Report, yields respectively 12, 10, 39, 25, 60, 8 and 110, total 264. This division harmonizes entirely with remaining fiscal year reports (1883 and earlier), all of which have been checked; no loophole exists.

There are at least two silverplated copper pieces, both of which have been offered at auction as silver, and apparently two more not so treated. Weight of silver, 420 grains; copper is apt to be lighter and will ring differently, whereas all silver trade dollars will ring alike. (1) KS 5/66:1302, 1975 ANA:1218. Rim flaw between first two stars, defect r. of date. (2) Dr. Emmons: 813, Delp:761, consigned to QS 8/76 for 11/76 auction, at which time Jack Collins discovered it to be a plated copper piece. Edge nicks top obv. (3) A. L. Snowden, 1884, in complete copper proof set to the Mint's publicist A. M. Smith, Smith estate, Bolender 2/3/36:25. Bolender told me the set remains intact. (4) As I saw an unplated one about 1958, either it is a fourth specimen or else one of the first two must have been plated since that time.

*1885 Trade Dollar. Simulated series coin. Silver only; might conceivably exist in aluminum, as all other denominations of the year were struck in that metal. Allegedly [5]. From the identical source which yielded the 1884's, which is reason enough to characterize them as pieces de caprice even aside from the entire absence of accounting for dies, bullion, or striking. (1) Mrs. R. Henry Norweb, ex Atwater:378, ex pvt. coll. in 1920's. (2) Menjou 1:2041, $1350, Baldenhofer:1040, $4,000, unknown intermediaries, NERCG, Forecaster. A bonafide offer of $250,000 for this coin was made, and refused, in my presence, at the 1974 ANA Convention; Jim later offered the piece for $300,000. Cf. CW 3/30/77, p. 11, where offered at $165,000. (3) Col. E.H.R. Green, B. G. Johnson, Jack Roe:628, Amon Carter Sr. & Jr. (4) John H. Clapp, Louis Eliasberg. (5) Olsen: 1767. $1150, Ewa1t:43, $11,000, badly cleaned, Leo A. Young. One of the foregoing is ex Granberg 1:393 (Mehl, 1913).

An earlier listing credited (if that is the word) the Josiah K. Lilly estate with one of these. This has not been verifiable.