Q. David Bowers
"In 1840 the reverse was changed having an eagle with expanded wings, holding in its talons the arrows and laurel branch, with legend United States of America, One Dol. This design was continued without change till 1873, when the coinage was suspended by law. The years from 1840 to 1849, with the exception of 1844 and 1848, are plenty. The coinage in 1844, 1848 and 1850 was not large and they are getting scarce. The years 1851 and 1852 are very scarce, only 1,300 in the first and 1,100 in the latter year being struck. They are generally found in Proof condition. The year 1853 is scarce, as are also the following years 1854 to 1857. The year 1854 being the scarcest and most difficult to obtain.
"In 1858 the first regular Proof sets were issued, and the dollars were only struck with these sets. Probably not more than 60 are in existence. They sell at the present time for about 50 dollars each.
"From 1859 to 1873 the coinage was comparatively plenty, and Proofs of these dates can be obtained at reasonable prices. In 1873 the issue of the standard dollar was discontinued. The much abused trade dollar being first issued in that year and their coinage continued to the present year. They are all plenty except the issue of 1879 and the present year, when they have only been struck in Proof condition rendering them scarce now, with their value constantly increasing on account of the small issue.
"In 1878 the demand for an increase of the circulating medium caused Congress to pass a law authorizing the re-issuing from the Mint of the standard dollar, and in consequence the Bland dollar with which our readers are familiar made its appearance from the Mint again in that year. Large numbers of this beautiful coin with its fine, classic head of Liberty have been issued since then and unless too large a quantity be coined and the coinage having to be suspended in consequence, collectors may look forward to a long continuance of this elegant piece.
"The collecting of the issues of U.S. silver has largely increased of late and we would recommend to any of our readers who have not done so already to commence at once as the finest pieces are being rapidly picked up and must necessarily increase in price before a very long time has elapsed.
"No collection presents a more attractive appearance than a line of fine silver ending in the latter years with the mirrorlike surface of the Mint Proof pieces."
The Year 1880 in History
In the presidential election contest of the year, traditional factions in the Republican party endeavored to have President Ulysses S. Grant run for a third term, but delegates to the nominating convention were deadlocked on the issue. Finally, on the 36th ballot James Abram Garfield was selected to carry the party banner, and in November he beat the Democratic challenger, Winfield Scott Hancock. The decennial federal census put the population of the United States at 50,155,783.
Many newspapers adopted the halftone photographic illustration process, using pictures composed of microscopic dots. In time, this method would replace steel engravings and other processes. Worcester Reed Warner and Ambrose Swasey founded the Warner-Swasey Company, maker of precision instruments (including astronomical telescopes) and machine tools, in Chicago. The following year the firm would move to Cleveland, where it grew to be one of the most prominent companies in its field. Ambrose Swasey became a numismatist, and in the early 1920s had George T. Morgan make some special Proofs for him.
Popular books published in 1880 included Ben-Hur, by General Lew Wallace, governor of the New Mexico Territory, and Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, by Marguerite Sidney (nom de plume of Harriet Mulford Stone Lothrop). BenHur would become wildly popular, and many products, including a best-selling brand of coffee, would adopt the name.
French actress Sarah Bernhardt ("Divine Sarah") came to the United States on the first of several tours, and opened at Booth's Theatre in New York City on November 8, 1880. Fifteen years later, Alphonse Mucha would begin creating Art Nouveau posters featuring her. She is reported to have roused an audience to near hysteria by declaiming the Marseillaise, and reported to have brought another audience to tears by reciting the alphabet!
At the Mint, numerous metric patterns continued to be produced, including Flowing Hair and Coiled Hair $4 stellas.