Q. David Bowers
J.W. Haseltine's sale, of January 15-17, 1879 marked the auction debut of the curious Proof novo del 1801-2-3 dollars later called "restrikes" by numismatists.
In the 1870s, Capt. John W. Haseltine was one of the best known professional numismatists in Philadelphia, indeed, in all of America. Not only did he handle many rarities and important collections, he also served as an unofficial sales depot for patterns, restrikes, and other special pieces made by or for Mint officials. Haseltine knew much but told little about the origin and number minted of such delicacies as 1801-2-3 "restrike" silver dollars, 1804 dollars, 1884-1885 trade dollars, and 1877 $50 gold pieces, to mention just a few of the coins he handled. Important to the present book, he was the person who introduced the 1801-2-3 Proof novodel dollars to the collecting fraternity.
In 1881 his Type-Table, actually an auction catalogue, was the first detailed description of early silver dollar die varieties.
Lot 282. 1801 Brilliant Proof; sharp bold impression; exceedingly rare in this condition. $25.00.
Lot 283. 1802 Brilliant Proof; very sharp impression; equally rare as the preceding. $25.00.
Lot 284. 1803 Brilliant Proof; sharply struck; also an exceedingly rare dollar. $25.00.
(The preceding dollars have never before been offered at auction in Proof condition, and are the finest I have ever seen.)
(The implication seems to be that although these are the first to be auctioned, Haseltine had seen additional specimens)
J.W. Haseltine's sale of his own collection, June 24-25, 1880, included these two Proof dollars, not described as "restrikes." George Cogan was the buyer of each. Obviously, Haseltine was engaging in a marketing program for these early-dated Proofs.
Lot 982. 1802 Brilliant Proof; everything sharp and boldly struck; no scratches in field; in fact, a perfect dollar of this date; excessively rare in this condition, only two others known. $16.00.
Lot 983. 1803 Brilliant Proof; sharp and beautiful; a companion piece to the preceding and equally rare; only two others known. $18.00.
H.G. Sampson's sale of July 25-26,1883. Offered were early silver dollars from 1795 to 1803. The catalogue copy in the American Numismatic Society Library was annotated by someone who had viewed the coins at the sale, and who crossed out in black ink certain adjectives that he felt didn't apply. For example, the first 1795 dollar was catalogued as "Very Fine," but our long-ago numismatist crossed out "Very."
H.G. Sampson entered the coin trade in the early 1870s, and in the 1880s conducted a series of over two dozen auction sales, the first four being as part of a short-lived partnership with noted numismatist Harlan Page Smith (who went on to create his own series of sales).
1795 Flowing Hair. The hair and stars on obv. and the eagle on rev. somewhat rubbed, and two or three nicks on edge; otherwise Very [crossed out in black pen] Fine. $l.75.
1795 Fillet Head. Fine. [crossed out] $2.05.
1796 Large Date. A crack in the rev. die between the I and C of AMERICA. Fine. $2.05.
1796 Small Close Date. Extremely [crossed out] Fine; scarce. $2.05.
1796 Small Spread Date. Very [crossed out] Fine. $2.05.
1797 Six Stars Facing. Extremely Fine; barely circulated. Rare. $2.05.
1797 Seven Stars Facing. Very Fine; scarce. $2.10.
1798 Thirteen Stars. Rev. Small eagle and large letters.
Fine for variety. Rare. $3.65.
1798 Fifteen Stars. Rev. Small eagle and small letters. Very [crossed out] Good; rare. $3.40.
1798 Large eagle. The 8 in date high. Extremely Fine,
barely touched by friction. $2.30.
1799 Six Stars facing. Fine. $1.25.
1799 Six Stars facing. A variety. $1.15.
1799 Five Stars facing. Fine. Scarce. $l.75. 1799 Five Stars facing. Good. Scarce. $1.60.
1800 Break in obv. die through first 0 in date. Fine. $1.80. 1801 Very Good. $1.75.
1802 Perfect die. Very Fine; scarce. $2.05. 1802/1. Good. $1.40.
1803 Uncirculated. Italic 3 ["Italic 3" crossed out] in date. $2.85.
1804 Electrotype. Very Fine. $3.45.
Charles Enders, Jr., New York City, offered these silver dollars for sale in the American Journal of Numismatics, 1886:
Set of U.S. dollars, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, and 1836, "complete set, VG to Fine," $20.00.
S.H. and Henry Chapman's sale of the Ferguson Haines Collection, October 17-18, 1888. Haines, of Biddeford, Maine, consigned to several sales in the late nineteenth century, and his name appears on various catalogues.
Interestingly, the Haines Collection contained a 1794 obtained from the Mint Cabinet, possibly in trade. The Chapman brothers attributed the dollars by Haseltine numbers, being one of the relatively few dealers to do so at the time (but as numerous coins in other Chapman catalogues were not attributed, I surmise the attribution in the present sale was done by the consignor). The brothers had an affinity with Capt. John W. Haseltine, having worked in his Philadelphia shop from 1876 until they started their own business in June 1878. In later reminiscences, Haseltine spoke kindly of the Chapmans and was proud of having launched their numismatic careers.
1794 VG; light dents on cheek and a few in other places. Well struck; the date bold, as also the rest of the coin, the fine feathers in eagle's wings showing. Letters in UNITED STATES weak on top as usual. An excellent specimen of this rarity. $44.00.