Q. David Bowers
Provisional conclusions: The conclusions summarized to this point are as follows:
The 1804 was struck first, and was struck no later than autumn 1834.
The 1802 was struck next, at an unknown date, but not before the King of Siam 1804 was struck in late 1834.
The 1803 was struck next, at an unknown date, after the 1802 novodels were struck, in the same press operation as the 1801 striking (as evidenced by foreign matter on the reverse die), but before the 1801s were made.
The 1801 was struck next, at an unknown date.
Four Obverse Dies (Characteristics)
One of the most interesting-aspects of the 1801-2-3-4 novodels is that just as the dies were not used in the sequence of 1801, 1802, 1803, and 1804, neither were the dies manufactured in that order. In fact, the dollar with the earliest date, 1801,was the last made. As the first step, it is useful to consider the elements of which each die was composed. The obverse dies have the following characteristics:
1802-3-4 obverses: Each obverse die (except, 1801) utilized these separate punch elements:
1. The central hub punch, with the Draped Bust motif, as used to prepare dies for original dollars bearing dates from 1795 to 1803.
2. Individual letter punches (B, E, I, L, R, T, and Y) for LIBERTY, an early font of the style used c. 1798-1803 at the Mint, distinguished by having a lopsided T (right arm heavier than left), small top space in A, etc., and curves to the inside of the serifs. These punches are from the same letter font used to produce Reverse X and Reverse Y.
3. Star punch; large (in comparison to the star punch used on the reverse) and with six points.
4. Four numeral punches for the date. These are from original punches (including large 3 punch for 1803), except for the 2 in 1802, which is from a new punch with a fancy top, similar to that used on 1820 half dollars, but unlike any punch found on an original 1802 silver dollar; and the 4 in 1804, as no numeral 4 was ever originally used on Draped Bust dollar coinage. The 4 is of the plain (not crosslet) type and may be of a later manufacture, as the taper to the bottom serif does not match, for example, that on the digit 1, and because most original coinage of 1804, including the large-diameter $10 gold issue, used the crosslet 4 design.
1801 obverse: The 1801 obverse die alone used these separate punch elements:
1. The central hub punch, with the Draped Bust motif, as used to prepare dies for original dollars bearing dates from 1795 to 1803. This is the same punch used on the novodels dated 1802-3-4.
2. Individual letter punches (B, E, I, L, R, T, and Y) for LIBERTY, from a later font and of a different style from that used either at the Mint c. 1798-1803 or on reverses X and Y or the 1802-3-4 novodels. On the 1801 die, the letters in LIBERTY are more angular, without curves to the inside of the serifs.
3. Star punch of a different type. The stars on the 1801 are entirely unlike any used on original early silver dollars or the novodels of 1802-3-4. On the 1801, the stars do not have narrow, somewhat delicate points. Instead, the stars are, as Newman and Bressett relate, heavy with 60° angles to the points, somewhat like a traditional Star of David. This type of star was used on mid-nineteenth century coinage, but not on earlier dies.
4. Three numeral punches for the date (the 1 was repeated), of a more modern type unlike that used at the turn of the nineteenth century. The 1 tapers down at its top, the 8 is squatter and differently proportioned, and the 0 has straight left and right sides to its interior space.
Four Obverse Dies
(Order of Manufacture)
Now, I endeavor to determine the order in which the 1801, 1802, 1803, and 1804 obverse dies were made (which differs from the sequence in which they were used). Fortunately, the Draped Bust design punch provides a valuable clue. On the 1802 and 1803 dies, the punch impression is complete. The left tip of the highest wave of hair is there, and is well defined. (It has been suggested that the hair tip was added to the 1802 and 1803 dies by hand retouching. However, this is not the case, as examination of the coins themselves, as well as inspection of photographic overlays, reveals that the hair tip is absolutely identical on the 1802 and 1803, something that would not be possible if they had been retouched individually. Moreover, the hair tip is identical to that found on original early Draped Bust dollars.) However, on the 1801 and 1804 dies, the left tip of the highest wave of hair is missing. These dies were thus raised from a broken punch, and made later than the 1802 and 1803. To this point the following conclusions can be made:
Dies made earlier: 1802 and 1803.
Dies made later: 1801 and 1804.
As the 1804 die was in use by autumn 1834 (to strike the King of Sam dollar), and as the 1804 die was made later than the 1802 and 1803 dies, the 1802, 1803, and 1804 dies were all in existence by autumn 1834.
The 1801 is a mystery at this point. I suggest that it was made at a substantially later date, when the letter, star, and numeral punches used to make the 1802-3-4 dies were no longer available. If it had been made prior to autumn 1834, contemporaneously with the 1802-3-4 dies, there is no reason why it would not have employed correct letters, stars, and numerals. If this conjecture is accepted as correct, then the order of manufacture of the dies was as follows:
1802 and 1803, from unbroken Draped Bust punch, contemporary letters, stars, and numerals.
1804, from broken Draped Bust punch, contemporary letters, stars, and numerals.
1801, from broken Draped Bust punch, modern letters, stars, and numerals.
Now follows a brief review of each obverse die: