Lot 1984
1836 Pattern Dollar. Silver, Plain Edge. Judd-60. Pollock-65 Rarity 1. PCGS graded Proof 62. Original coin alignment. A splendid specimen, as graded, of this, one of the most important of all American silver coins. Both obverse and reverse are lightly toned, nicely blended, yielding a treat to the eye.
Just 1,000 of these pieces were minted in December, 1836, all with Proof finish. Some of them were presented here and there, including two to President Andrew Jackson, others to Treasury officials, and a few to numismatic cabinets. Afterwards, many hundreds were simply placed into circulation for face value! This is the first (but not only) instance in which a coin made from polished dies, deliberately with Proof finish, proved to be a circulating issue. For many years the variety was considered to be a pattern, designated as J-60 (Pollock-65), but this is misdirected. The pieces were regular issue, not patterns or experimental in any way.
Mint Director Patterson desired to redesign the silver coinage, replacing the John Reich motif, known today as the Capped Bust design, which had been in use for a long time. In its adopted form the Gobrecht silver dollar appeared as here, with a Liberty Seated figure on the obverse, name inconspicuously on the base, and with the eagle flying onward and upward on the reverse, amid a galaxy of 26 stars, 13 large and 13 small. At the time there were 35 states in the Union, but it was not long until Michigan became the 26th (in 1837).
In early 1837 additional Gobrecht dollars from these dies were struck, of a different standard under the authority of January 18, 1837, and differentiated from the originals by having the dies aligned differently. Still later, restrikes were made at the mint, probably through the early 1870s. Pop 36; 35 finer, 22 in 63, 13 in 64 (PCGS # 11225) .
Estimated Value $20,000 - 22,000.
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| Realized $24,150 |
