1877-S Trade Dollar - Large S and Small S Varieties

Windycity

Can't find anything about a Large S and Small S variety Trade Dollar - Common?

ricko

I cannot determine if there is a real size difference or if it is wear/damage to the MM....I agree they do appear different.... Cheers, RickO

kaz

There has been a fair amount of study on the large and small (micro) S mintmarks in 1875 and 1876 and relative scarcities. I don't know if this has been looked at in the 1877 issues.
NIce job on the close up photos!

OriginalDan

Yep these guys are right. The small s is relatively less common than the large S but neither are rare.

Always thought it was neat that someone decided to use the MM seemingly meant for a dime sized coin on a big silver dollar. Looks so out of place.

Windycity

Thanks - very helpful!!

Insider2

I'll make claim to having discovered that the reverse hubs are completely different on each of these coins with different size mintmarks in the mid-1990's. See my articles in the Gobrecht Journal.

Unfortunately, most of the old reference books failed to notice this obvious difference and even today it is disregarded except by just a few specialists. Most collectors of Trade dollars say these differences in the reverse hubs is a nothing-burger!

I'll explain it very briefly. Most "numismatists" think there are just two reverse types for Trade dollars. Type 1 (w/berry) and Type 2 (no berry). In the mid-90's I discovered that there are two distinct Type 2 reverses. Neither has a berry but the back feathers on one are parallel to the back (old Type 2) or Jut out from the back (named Type 2M in my article). Unfortunately, I was mistaken. A few years ago, while photographing reverses, I discovered that my Type 2M reverse could be further divided into Type 2M and Type 2M' based on the number of leg segments - either 5 or 6.

This information is due to be published in November's Journal.

Insider2

I find the obverse hubs more complicated and they have been under study. It makes sense that there may be a different obverse hub paired with each different reverse hub. Furthermore, I'll bet that the present Type 1 hubs can be broken down with significant differences. IMHO, the important thing is to decipher the different hubs before Joe's book is published.

Furthermore, the whims of advanced numismatists are not important to me. They can recognize what they wish. That does not change anything for a numismatist seeking to learn a series of coins and publish his findings.

Insider2

Yes. Blow up the images of 1875 to 1877 reverses The differences should be apparent from what I posted above. Look for (my present # system that may be changed to something universal):

Type 1 reverse
Type 2M reverse
Type 2M' reverse
Type 2 (or 2L) reverse

With some study, you should find some other as yet unpublished differences.