The Early Quarter Dollars of the United States

 

No. 4

Obverse: The same as [Browning] 3.
Reverse: The same as 1820 [Browning] 2. (Olive leaf of lower berry connected with border.)
Dies perfect.

Seventh star points down to center of front of ribbon; 1's equidistant from border.
Olive leaf left of lower berry joins border. (Reverse 1820 B-2, not "B-3.")
Browning-4; Clapp-4; Duphorne-41; included in Breen-3903; Haseltine-4.
Rarity-2.
Die States: I. Perfect.

II. Clash marks from shield near ear, and from head and bust in reverse fields.
III. Trace of crack from rim through 12th star to hair. Reverse crack, rim through E in UNITED toward wing, as on one specimen of the new 1820 variety with this same reverse. J.H. South:450.

Evidently the variety was struck before and after some specimens of 1821 B-3 and 1820 "B-5". Presumably, as in former years and other denominations, reverse dies were briefly put into use while dies in press had to be temporarily removed for polishing off clash marks.

Proofs:
1. Boyd, WGC:78, Adolph Friedman, 1946 ANA:424.
2. Reed Hawn:271, Auction '80:116, $32,000. Same coin? EPC.

Business strikes are easier to find Uncirculated than of other varieties. Among the better ones may be named:
1. T. James Clarke, NN 47:1570
2. Speir Estate sale:14.
3. Bowers & Ruddy RCR 22-25 (1975-76), Willing:999.
4. River Oaks:533. State III.
5. Bergen:48.

Numerical Condition Census (RWM, Sr. [circa 1992]): 63, 60+, 60+, 60, 60, 60.

Middle sinister talon intact, extending below lowest arrowshafts, as in 1818-1819 dies. Belongs with the 1819 batch: State I of hub, group 2.

Compact 5 as in reverses of 1818-1819, 1820 B-1, 2, 3. I(BUS) below space between A T; S below (E)S at left; bases of U D low; O above F; very large high period after C. Middle sinister talon intact, extending below lowest arrow shafts, as in 1818-1819 dies. Belongs with the 1819 batch: State I of hub, group 2. Otherwise similar to 1820 B-2 = 1821 B-4 reverse, but not the same as any known 1815-1828 die.

Not in Browning; not in Clapp; not in Duphorne; not in Breen; not in Haseltine; not in Bergen. "B-6". Obverse B-1, reverse new."

Rarity 8. Two known.

Die States:
Crack, rim to wingtip at left; single crack, rim to third leaf tip left of 2, slanting down to right when coin is held vertical, but it differs in direction from either of those on the reverse of 1820 B-2 = 1821 B-4. Without the clash marks or the crack through E(D) found on the latter.

The following are traced:
1. Aram Haroutanian, ex Spenders. Fine. ANACS CCW 119, as "F-12/12." Discovery coin, first reported to [Breen] January 25, 1991, confirmed at Long Beach, February 9, 1991.
2. Aram Haroutanian, cherrypicked later in January 1991. Good. Later, to Larry Briggs, Charlton Meyer. Illustrated in Coin World 6/5/91, p. 98.

Explanation for rarity uncertain. Possibly the cracks advanced rapidly, and/or the die buckled early. Other specimens may exist, unattributed or mislabeled "B-4" because of the crack from rim to leaf tip.

Numerical Condition Census (RWM, Sr. [circa 1992]): 2 Known...12, 6.