Q. David Bowers
B. Max Mehl's sale of the Langfelder & Jaedicke collections, November 22, 1921. This sale offered three regular Judd-60) strikes of 1836 and a rare pattern with name below base J-58).
1836 Liberty Seated. Reverse, flying eagle amid 26 stars. Plain edge. Proof. $20.00.
1836 EF, was a Proof and still retains some bright surface. A pinpoint nick on obverse. $15.00.
1836 EF, free from any nicks or dents and has some Proof surface. $15.00.
1836 Liberty Seated, C. GOBRECHT in field below base: reverse, flying eagle as last. Br. Proof. $154.00.
B. Max Mehl's sale of the E.E. Wright Collection, March 10, 1925. Offered was the rare 1836 with name below base Judd-58).
1836 Liberty Seated, C. Gobrecht below base. Reverse, flying eagle. Perfect Br. Proof. Rare and in demand. $30.00.
B. Max Mehl's sale of the Alex J. Rosborough Collection, April 9, 1929, included one of each Gobrecht dollar date:
1836 Liberty Seated, no stars, C. GOBRECHT on base. Reverse, flying eagle and 26 stars. Plain edge. Proof, but shows slight evidence of having been handled with other coins; few hairline scratches, but almost complete brilliancy. A most acceptable specimen of this most beautiful and greatly-in-demand coin. $31.00.
1838 Liberty Seated, date below, 13 stars. Reverse, flying eagle, no stars, edge milled. Sharp Br. Proof. Excessively rare and valuable. One of our rarest silver dollars. With auction record of over $400.00. $230.00.
1839 Same type as last. Sharply struck. Proof but dulled; even purple surface. I doubt, however, if the coin would muster as Proof as it shows slight cabinet friction. But a most acceptable and attractive specimen of another of our rare dollars. $62.00.
B. Max Mehl's sale of the Foster Lardner and H.N. Walton collections, June 24, 1930, included these notable Gobrecht dollars. The Depression had little effect on prices:
1836 Liberty Seated. Reverse, flying eagle amid 26 stars. Plain edge. Variety with C. GOBRECHT, name of artist, on base. Slightly dull Proof. Rare and in great demand with record above $30.00. $26.00.
1836 Another just as last. Strictly Fine. Was originally struck as a Proof. $25.50.
1836 Another just as last, but has been skillfully plugged above head and has initials lightly scratched on reverse; otherwise About Fine. $5.00.
1836 Type as last, but the extremely rare variety with C. GOBRECHT below base, or between base and date. Perfect Br. Proof. Extremely rare and valuable. Only about 18 specimens said to have been struck. $125.00.
1838 Type as last, with flying eagle, but with 13 stars on obverse and no stars on reverse; also, the edge is milled. Perfect Br. Proof, sharp. A magnificent specimen of this great rarity. One of our rarest coins. $215.00.
1839 Exact type of 1838. Sharp Br. Proof. Very rare. Seldom offered, especially so perfect. $62.50.
B. Max Mehl's sale of the F.H. Knoop Collection, December 8, 1931, contained this Gobrecht dollar trio:
1836 Liberty Seated. Reverse, flying eagle and 26 stars. Plain edge. C. Gobrecht on base. VG. Obverse slightly rubbed. Rare and in demand. $13.65.
1836 Flying eagle. Struck as a Proof and still retains considerable lustre. Can now be classed as nearly Unc, Rare and in demand. $22.50.
1839 Type as last but with stars on obverse and no stars on reverse; milled edge. Sharp Proof. Very rare. $50.00.
B. Max Mehl's sale of the Mose Marcuson Collection, October 20, 1935, contained a date set of Gobrecht dollars.
1836 Liberty Seated. C. GOBRECHT, name of designer on base. Reverse, flying eagle amid 26 stars. Plain edge. Proof, not brilliant. Rare and in demand. $18.25.
1836 Another just as last. Rare. $20.25.
1838 Type similar to last but with stars on obverse; reverse, flying eagle but no' stars in field; milled edge. Proof. Extremely rare: Next in rarity to the 1804. $231.00.
1839 Type as last. Proof. Extremely rare. Another great rarity. $90.00.
J.C. Morgenthau & Co's sale of the J.C., Lighthouse Collection, February 18-19, 1936, included these Gobrechts:
1836 Gobrecht dollar. Dull Proof, now EF. Rare. $24.00.
1838 Perfect Br. Proof. Very rate. $255.00.
1839 Perfect Br, Proof. Rare. $90.00.
J.C. Morgenthau & Co.'s sale of December 21, 1937, contained three different Gobrecht dollar dates.
1836 Br. Proof. Rare. $36.00.
1838 Br. Proof. Extremely rare, seldom offered now, $255.00.
1839 Br. Proof. Very rare. $80.00.
B. Max Mehl's sale of the William Forrester Dunham Collection, June 3, 1941. Offered are several high quality Gobrecht dollars. For the first 1838, Mehl makes good use of the word "perfect," and for the second, he seems to be musing in print about the quantity struck, or available-perhaps he is not sure.
1836 C. GOBRECHT, name of designer, on base, Proof. $39.00.
1836 Same type as last but the extremely Tare variety with C.GOBRECHT below base. Plain edge, as all are. Br. Proof. Obverse field shows very slight cabinet friction. Listed at $150.00, but has a higher auction record. $142.50.
1838 Same type as the 1836 but with stars on obverse and no stars on reverse. Milled edge. Perfect brilliant Proof; just as perfect as the day it was minted. Not the slightest touch of cabinet friction. As perfect a gem of this coin as I have ever seen. Worthy of its highest record. While this coin is listed at $300.00, it has a considerably higher record. $290.00.
1838 Same type as last, but the excessively rare variety without stars around eagle and with plain edge. According to Adams-Woodin, only two specimens were struck, or rather only two specimens are known. Listed as A W-64, Rarity-14. Br. Proof. I know of one specimen which sold for $750.00. We must remember that the opportunity for the purchase of such a great rarity is just about as rare as is the coin itself. Such a rarity is only available when great collections come on the market. $400.00.
1839 Same type as the 1838; stars on obverse and no stars on reverse, but with plain edge. Beautiful perfect brilliant Proof; not the slightest touch of cabinet friction. Not as rare as the 1838, but certainly a rarity when so perfect. Record up to $150.00. $125.00.
The William Cutler Atwater Collection sold by B. Max Mehl, June 11, 1946, included these Gobrecht silver dollars:
1836 Gobrecht. Br. Proof. $355.00.
1836 Beautiful Br. Proof. Few microscopic nicks on obverse, hardly noticeable, and a very slight, almost hairlike dull spot, on upper right obverse. Well struck. $137.50.
1836 VF. $85.00.
1838 Beautiful Br. Proof, sharp. A tiny slightly dull spot in field below eagle. $420.00.
1838 A hardly noticeable, light nick on upper reverse field where probably another coin dropped on it, but on close, examination under a glass the so-called nick appears to be a light die break. A magnificent Br. Proof. $475.00.
1839 Beautiful sharp Br. Proof with wire edge. Slight iridescent surface. $225.00.