Q. David Bowers
3. Kreisberg-Schulman Specimen
• A. Loudon Snowden, Philadelphia Mint.
• Unknown intermediaries.
• The April 1936 issue of The Numismatist, pp. 283, 284, noted that at the February 18, 1936 meeting of the Westchester County Coin Club a Dr. Cobin exhibited an 1884 trade dollar. Carl W.A Carlson states that this coin was a silver-plated copper piece."
• Apparently, this coin passed to George Blake, who had one at the February 26, 1936 meeting of the Bronx Coin Club, and who exhibited a specimen at the 1938 American Numismatic Association Convention.
• Abner Kreisberg-Hans M.F. Schulman "Waldorf Sale," May 20-21, 1966, Lot 1302 at $2,235.
• Collector, subsequently to his estate.
• Superior Stamp & Coin Co.'s ANA Sale, August 19-23, 1975, Lot 1218. Catalogued as a regular issue; withdrawn when it was discovered it was a silver-plated copper impression.
• Bowers and Ruddy Galleries, Inc., 1977. Jack Collins writes: "Identifiable by a small edge nick between first and second stars, also by a pinpoint copper stain in field right of date."?
4. Breen Specimen
• A. Loudon Snowden, Philadelphia Mint.
• Unknown intermediaries.
• Specimen seen by Walter H. Breen c. 1958; apparently, but not absolutely, not one of the foregoing. Owner's name not remembered. May be Specimen No.3 above (Per letter from Walter H. Breen to the author, March 29, 1992.)This also may be a specimen reported to me by Dale R. Phelan in a letter dated April 4, 1992: "I was offered for $2,000 in 1969 an 1884 trade dollar silver plated copper pattern by the late Leo Young in California. At first glance it appeared like a silver Proof."
Proofs:
Enabling legislation: Act of February 12, 1873
Business strike mintage:, None
Designer: William Barber
Weight: 420 grains
Composition:.900 silver, .100 copper
Melt-down (silver value) in year minted (In 1884, which mayor may not have been (but probably was) the year minted. The assumption is that it was, however, for copper Proof strikings are known to have been made then.) $0.8765
Dies prepared: Obverse: 1; Reverse: J
Proof mintage: At least 10
Characteristics of striking:Usually well struck.
Approximate population Proof-64 or better: 2 known (URS-2)
Approximate population Proof-60' to 63: 8 known (URS-4)
Commentary
Made in limited quantities by Mint personnel and filtered into the collecting community via William Idler, Philadelphia coin dealer. bate(s) when the coins were made unknown. Although such pieces were rumored to exist as early as 1884 (the date onthe coins); they were generally unknown to the collecting fraternity until 1908, although a specimen was sold to Virgil M. Brand 'in 1907.
The Year 1884 in History
(See entry under 1884 Morgan dollar)