Lot 3074
1836 Pattern Dollar. Silver, plain edge. . J-60 Restrike. . P-65. PCGS graded Proof 62 Die alignment 1. Name on base. Beautifully toned. Iridescent bluish-green borders and violet centers. A beauty. This example is one of the most attractive. This lovely Proof is alive with full featured color, pleasing choice surfaces, but we are hard pressed to find even a single carbon fleck or abrasion to note down in the description. In order to understand the grade better, notice that it is struck with care only now and then found even on one of these handsome Gobrecht pieces. When it comes to the usual softness at the center of the shield or some of the eagle's feather detail, this piece, on the contrary, received a full blow by the dies. Pop 23; 21 in 63; 7 in 64. (PCGS # 11227) .
This year also marks the beginning of coinage with the steam press. The first silver coinage using this power was that of the silver half?dollars with a reeded edge, which began November 8, 1836.
Preparations to resume the coinage of silver dollars were begun soon after the enactment of the Coinage Act of 1834, since it was anticipated that the fineness of standard silver would be changed. The dies for the dollar were executed by Christian Gobrecht from an obverse design of Liberty seated by Thomas Sully and a reverse design of a flying eagle by Titian Peale.
In preparing the reverse die Gobrecht eliminated the arrows and branches from the eagle's claws as "contrary to nature and good taste." Instead of the 13 stars of equal size arranged stiffly in line around the edge, he used a constellation of 26 stars, equal to the number of states, distributed irregularly over the sky supposed to seem beyond the eagle.
Estimated Value $20,000 - 24,000.
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| Realized $29,900 |
