Q. David Bowers
Scott on the 1804 Dollar (1893)
The following is from Stott's 1893 catalogue, page 28: "1804 Dollar. The dies for these coins are known to have existed, and from them it is believed that about 20 impressions have been taken, but we do not think that any were struck in the year that the coins are dated, hence we class them as restrikes; The dies were destroyed in 1869."
Haseltine on the 1804 Dollar (1908)
In remarks before the American Numismatic Association Convention, 1908, Capt. John W. Haseltine stated the following, here quoted in part: (From Mehl'sNumismatic Monthly, October 1908. "The 1908 Convention of the American Numismatic Association," by E.H. Adams.)
"One of the old-time dealers, and also a collector, was the late Mr. William Idler of this city, at the time when Mr. Cogan was also a dealer in Philadelphia. Mr. Idler was my father-in law, and he was very reticent about his collection, and would seldom show his coins even for sale, partly caused by tile many pattern and experimental coins that he had, which he was afraid might be seized.
"Hence the many remarkable pieces that I and. M. Stephen K. Nagy (who were the purchasers of his collection) found in it. Some of those were not known to exist prior to his death, including the 1884 trade dollar and some unique U.S. pieces in gold. But as it is not proper for me to advertise my business at this meeting I will not name them.
"I have been asked to say something about the 1804 dollar, but the pros and cons about this interesting subject are so vast that any remarks upon it I must defer until I consider the time more propitious. I will say this, however, that somewhere about 1867, or, as near as I can remember, about the time of the explosion at the U.S. Mint, and so many of the old dies were displaced from where they were packed away, I saw the 1804 dollar dies."
Mehl's Phony 1804 Dollar (1913)
Numerous times throughout American numismatic history, phony "1804" dollars have been offered for sale.During the nineteenth and early twentieth century they were staple items as "fillers" in many collections.
An embarrassing situation concerns a forgery offered as authentic by none other than B. Max Mehl, who in his H.O. Granberg Collection Sale, July 14, 1913, described the subject coin, Lot 320, as follows:
"1804. Bust of Liberty facing to right; six stars on right and seven on left. Above, the word LIBERTY; date, 1804, below. Reverse, heraldic eagle with U.S. shield on breast, head turned to left, holding in its beak a ribbon which is inscribed E PLURIBUS UNUM; above, a semi-circle of clouds extending from wing to wing; 13 stars about eagle's head, one of which touches the lower part of eagle's beak, while the upper is free from it; a bunch of 12 arrows in right talon and an olive branch in his left; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around. Edge lettered HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT, which is distinct in all parts. Weight 420 grains.
"VG condition; the only weak part is the E PLURIBUS UNUM, which is practically worn off. The effects of circulation are evenly distributed. A long, old scratch on reverse and a few smaller nicks on bust are the only defects, and outside of these it will easily muster as 'VG.' In velvet case. This specimen of 'King of American Coins' is of a different die variety than the other known specimens; its most distinct difference is its date, of which the bottom of the figure 4 tapers off from the upright as it approaches the bottom horizontal line corresponding and symmetrical with the figure l.
"Both its obverse and reverse dies are different from the dies of any dollars of 1800, 1801, 1802 and 1803. The upright of the figure 4 is twice the distance from the figure 0 than is the figure 1 on the dollar of 1801. The reverse is of an entirely different die than any of the early dollars, particularly in the spacing of the letters in legend. The original owner of this coin was a Mr. Levi Robbin of Bradford, Maine. From him it passed to the possession of Mrs. Harriet Strout, at whose death it passed into the possession of Mr. Carl Strout, from whom Mr. Granberg purchased it in 1906. Mr. Strout was at that time connected with the Pinkerton Detective Agency at Seattle, Washington.
"The 1804 dollar has been the cause of more difference of opinion than any other U.S. coin. The late DeWitt S. Smith, one of the most prominent and respected collectors of his time, wrote the former owner of this coin as follows:
"The 1804 dollar is certainly a very interesting coin, and has had more written about it than any American coin. There is always a question in regard to it, and many authorities will differ about it. One thing I have noticed, when anyone (dealer or collector) has one to sell he thinks it is genuine, but when some other party has one to sell, the same man will discredit it.'
"The only question of the 1804 dollar herein offered, since it is of different die than the so-called 'known variety,'-(the one with straight bottom 4 not symmetrical with balance of date and weak lettering on edge) would be its date, principally the figure 4. Before purchasing this coin, as can readily be imagined, Mr. Granberg was thoroughly convinced of its genuineness. The only way to test the genuineness of a date is by the heat test. This 1804 dollar was heated to a white heat without showing any indication of having had the date tampered with in any way. The figures remaining in true line, bright and solid.
"The following extracts from correspondence between the former owner and the General Superintendent of the Pinkerton Detective Agency at Philadelphia, to whom coin was sent to have it tested at the Mint, show the severe test this dollar withstood:
" 'May 3rd, 1906.
" 'I am in receipt of your letter of April 28th, wherein you request that the officials of the Mint test the 1804 dollar as to its genuineness. I have had the test made, and enclose you herewith reports showing result of the same. The figure '4' withstood a very severe heat test.'