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Wharton's 1876 3-Cent Nickel unsanctioned trial pieces in pure nickel

StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

I'm probably going to create more questions than I answer, but figured I'd point out something I noticed reading old Mint records and see what others know about these, if anything.

5/3/1876 - Director Linderman writes Joseph Wharton: Dear Sir: Your letter of yesterday has been received. You state that the Coiner of the Philadelphia Mint has struck for you a few 3 cent pieces in pure nickel, but which he feels unauthorized to have leave the Mint without first being defaced, and you ask whether these pieces may be permitted to go to the Centennial Exposition with your other articles to illustrate the possibility of working pure nickel. There having been no authority for the striking of these pieces, I have deemed it necessary and proper to request an explanation from the Mint before acting upon your application."

5/3/1876 - Director Linderman writes Superintendent Pollock: "I am informed that some 3 cent pieces of pure nickel have recently been struck at the mint. Please inform me under what section of law or regulation these pieces were struck."

5/5/1876 - Director Linderman writes Superintendent Pollock: "I have received your letter of yesterday in explanation of the recent striking of a few three cent pieces in pure nickel, as tests of nickel in that state for coinage purposes. Mr. Wharton, for whom they were struck, could not have been expected to understand Mint regulations in respect to such matters. The Coiner, if he had thought for a moment, would have known that the striking of these pieces in the manner in which it was done, was in conflict with the regulations. It is quite proper that a test of this kind should be made at the Mint, but it should be done under proper authority. You will please procure from the Coiner, all the pieces referred to and deliver them to Mr. Wharton, with the understanding that at the close of the Exhibition, he will return them to the Mint to be placed in the Cabinet and permanently retained there."

5/5/1876 - Director Linderman writes Joseph Wharton: "Dear Sir: Your letter of yesterday has been received. The objection raised by me was not to the experimental test by the Mint as to the practicability of coining pure nickel, but to its having been made without the consent of the proper authority having been first obtained. It was no doubt done thoughtlessly by the Coiner. Having received an explanation from the Mint as to the experiment, I have this day instructed the Superintendent to deliver the pieces to you with the understanding that after the Centennial Exhibition closes you will return them to the Mint, to be placed and permanently retained in the Cabinet of that institution."

5/6/1876 - Director Linderman writes Superintendent Pollock: "Sir, I have your letter of yesterday enclosing an explanation by the Coiner in reference to striking the three cent pieces in pure nickel, for Mr. Joseph Wharton. The tenor of the Coiner's communication calls for reference to the 7th Section of the Coinage Act of 1873, in which his powers are defined: anything done outside of this section must be under regulations prescribed by the proper authority. The experiments and tests which he refers to as having been made in 1864, 1868 and 1869 were made under the authority of the Director of the Mint, which officer was in those years, the executive head of the Mints, with the power of general supervision and management. What the Director of the Mint under the old law could properly authorize in the way of experiments with alloys for coinage, cannot under the Coinage Act of 1873 be done by any Officer of a Mint without the sanction of the Director. In this connection, I have to remind you that my letter of March 28th making inquiry as to certain experimental pieces made at the Mint and offered for sale by a Coin dealer, has not been answered. The matter has no doubt, in the recent press of business, escaped your attention. "

So... There is the exchanges showing pure nickel three cent pieces were struck, and given to Joseph Wharton for the Centennial Exposition.

The Centennial Exhibition was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia.

Joseph Wharton even won an award for his exhibit "Ores of nickel and cobalt, and results of their treatment" His exhibit award was described as: "A fine collection of nickel ores from Lancaster County, Pa., with nickel-matte, metallic nickel in grains and cubes, and manufactured nickel, both cast and wrought; nickel magnets and magnetic needles, cast cobalt, electro-plating with nickel and cobalt, and salts and oxides of both of these metals: the whole showing a remarkable progress realized in their metallurgical treatment."

I couldn't find any specific reference to the pure nickel three cent pieces in Exposition literature, but I am assuming they were part of the display. There was no reference to the date on these pure nickel pieces, but I am assuming they would have been 1876.

The above were all the letters I could find referencing these pieces (with a little help from RWB). I can find no other references to the pieces ever being returned to the Mint to be placed in the Cabinet.

I looked in the Index of coins and medals in the Cabinet for the years 1887, 1891, 1895, and even the modern collection, and can find no reference to pure nickel three cent pieces.

There is only one 1876 Pattern/Off-Metal three-cent piece listed online I could find: 1876 3C Three Cent Nickel in copper. Judd-1451a, Pollock-1598, R.8, A dies trial piece from the regular three cent nickel dies for the year. Struck in copper with a plain edge. According to Andrew Pollock and USPatterns.com, this is the only known example of Judd-1451a. Only one or two off-metal coinage sets were produced in copper for the year 1876

So the "Regular" three-cent nickel weighed 1.94g with 75% copper and 25% nickel. I absolutely hate math - so where are the geniuses to figure out what a pure nickel three cent piece would weigh? Would the color be considerably different?

So some of my many questions are.... does anybody know anything about these pure nickel three cent pieces? Where could they have ended up after the Centennial Exposition? If they still existed, and were in a collector's hands, would they be able to even tell the difference short of metallurgy testing of some sort? Does anyone even care? 8-)

------------------------------------------------------------

"You Suck Award" - February, 2015

Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101

Comments

  • ScarsdaleCoinScarsdaleCoin Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great read

    Jon Lerner - Scarsdale Coin - www.CoinHelp.com
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,499 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The densities of nickel and copper are so close to each other that, for all intents and purposes, a pure nickel three cent piece would weigh the same as a copper/nickel three cent piece. You are not going to find one by weight.
    HOWEVER, pure nickel attracts to a magnet, while copper/nickel does not. Use that technique.
    TD

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    And so the search begins.... ;) Somewhere, out there, in the vast coin universe, are three pure nickel, three cent pieces.... Let's go treasure hunters... Cheers, RickO

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,499 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Have you checked with the National Numismatic Collection to see if they have the three pieces?

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @CaptHenway said:
    Have you checked with the National Numismatic Collection to see if they have the three pieces?

    They have both a business strike and proof 1876 three cent piece listed in their online catalog. No pictures or mention of anything special about them though.

    Wharton’s family paper archives is at Swathmore College in Pennsylvania if anyone from the NNP ever visits it and digitizes the Nickel/coin related items may be a clue there.
    http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/5162jowh

    I can see anyone with an 1876 three center putting theirs up to a magnet though - would be quite a surprise if one was found.

    Even though these were unsanctioned, would still qualify as an off-metal pattern and get its own Judd number I would think.

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "You Suck Award" - February, 2015

    Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,499 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Agree.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 1, 2021 5:17PM

    I had a few folks PM'd me about the March 28th 1876 letter Linderman refers to in the last letter referencing the three cent nickels. Not related to the pure nickel three cent pieces, but interesting none the less for how patterns sometimes got out of the mint without the Director knowing:

    3/28/1876 - Director Linderman to Superintendent Pollock:
    Sir: Your attention is invited to items 328-329 page 19 of the enclosed catalogue, from which it would appear that two experimental pieces, copper proofs of an Eagle and Half Eagle of 1875 are offered for sale and the statement made that only five pieces of each specimen have been struck. The pieces referred to, appear to have been received from some officer of the Mint, and I will thank you to make the necessary inquiry, and inform me how they found their way out of the Mint.

    Think this was the first time Linderman heard of Judd 1439 $5 and Judd 1444 $10 being out in the wild. Had to edit the Judd #'s once I saw the auction catalog descriptions.

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "You Suck Award" - February, 2015

    Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
  • Dr_BonesDr_Bones Posts: 67 ✭✭✭

    Rather ironic that Linderman's own collection sold by Low in 1887 was resold by Scott in 1888 after the government removed 15 pattern lots for supposed impropriety
    https://archive.org/details/catalogueofvalua00scot_1/page/n4/mode/2up Page 5 in notes

    Visit USPatterns.com

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,499 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @StrikeOutXXX said:
    I had a few folks PM'd me about the March 28th 1876 letter Linderman refers to in the last letter referencing the three cent nickels. Not related to the pure nickel three cent pieces, but interesting none the less for how patterns sometimes got out of the mint without the Director knowing:

    3/28/1876 - Director Linderman to Superintendent Pollock:
    Sir: Your attention is invited to items 328-329 page 19 of the enclosed catalogue, from which it would appear that two experimental pieces, copper proofs of an Eagle and Half Eagle of 1875 are offered for sale and the statement made that only five pieces of each specimen have been struck. The pieces referred to, appear to have been received from some officer of the Mint, and I will thank you to make the necessary inquiry, and inform me how they found their way out of the Mint.

    Think this was the first time Linderman heard of Judd 1441 and 1444 being out in the wild.

    Using the date of the letter as a starting point, can anybody identify the auction catalogue?

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 1, 2021 5:27PM

    Here is the catalog:
    https://archive.org/details/centennialcoincu00hase_5/page/18/mode/2up

    Now that I saw the auction description, it narrowed down the two 1875 Copper Patterns, so these two offered and referred to in Linderman's letter were Judd 1439 $5 and Judd 1444 $10

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "You Suck Award" - February, 2015

    Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
  • Dr_BonesDr_Bones Posts: 67 ✭✭✭

    Looks like they made it out, never returned and it appears all survived to date

    Visit USPatterns.com

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,499 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @StrikeOutXXX said:

    @CaptHenway said:
    Have you checked with the National Numismatic Collection to see if they have the three pieces?

    They have both a business strike and proof 1876 three cent piece listed in their online catalog. No pictures or mention of anything special about them though.

    Wharton’s family paper archives is at Swathmore College in Pennsylvania if anyone from the NNP ever visits it and digitizes the Nickel/coin related items may be a clue there.
    http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/5162jowh

    I can see anyone with an 1876 three center putting theirs up to a magnet though - would be quite a surprise if one was found.

    Even though these were unsanctioned, would still qualify as an off-metal pattern and get its own Judd number I would think.

    Does the Smithsonian catalog patterns in a different section maybe?

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @CaptHenway said:

    Does the Smithsonian catalog patterns in a different section maybe?

    It's kind of all mixed in with the web searches, but I found no record there.
    No record in all the different years print books/catalogues of the US Mint Cabinet
    No record in the official Mint Account Books for the Mint Cabinet
    Nothing so far in the 1923 transfer paperwork to the Smithsonian
    I can't find reference to the coins well... anywhere other than those letters I posted.

    I contacted Swarthmore College to see if I can look through Wharton's papers they have, but about 7 hour drive and they are still closed for COVID. Anybody live near Philly want to go look when they open? 8-)

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "You Suck Award" - February, 2015

    Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
  • StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Still chasing leads, nothing else so far.

    Confirmed with Roger that these pieces were likely made in the medal department as with most patterns, tests, and proofs. If they still existed today, and especially if they somehow avoided circulation… they could present as proofs.

    So how many of you who own one has put theirs to a strong magnet test? 😃

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "You Suck Award" - February, 2015

    Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
  • StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Found this in the Scientific American Supplement , No. 46 dated November 11, 1876

    "There are also in this exhibit specimens of nickel and cobalt plate on different metals, and several alloys of nickel three-cent and five-cent pieces, etc".

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "You Suck Award" - February, 2015

    Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
  • dengadenga Posts: 903 ✭✭✭

    The story of these special pieces was also published in the May 1969 Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine.

  • StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks for the lead - trying to track that issue down now.

    I did find this in an Ira and Larry Goldberg Auction Catalog here:
    http://64.60.141.198/cgi-bin/chap_auc.php?site=1&lang=1&sale=7&chapter=19&page=2

    1875 Nickel Three Cents. NGC graded Proof 65. Rose to gold toning on both sides. Struck from rusted and lapped dies, with the left ribbon end showing an area of rust nearby as seen on the other specimen offered in this sale.
    Two were struck in pure nickel as an experiment for Joseph Wharton, the nickel mine owner who supplied the Philadelphia Mint, and these remain unlocated. However, they are awaiting discovery, the best test is to check all 1875 three cent nickels, if the coin is magnetic, its one of the two struck in pure nickel, otherwise, its just a regular copper-nickel alloy, as usually seen (Breen).

    Have to track down that Breen citation too.

    I assumed the pure nickel three cent pieces would have been dated 1876 since they were struck closely to 5/3/1876.

    If the coins were dated 1875, that would seem to go against Director Linderman's Rules for Pattern and Proof Coins Dated 1 July 1867.

    Rules – Effective July 1, 1867
    1. No coins, nor pattern pieces, shall be struck after the year of their date; and to insure this, the dies shall he rendered unfit for that use.
    2. No coins, nor patterns, are to be issued in any but their proper metal.
    3. Any experimental or pattern piece can he obtained at the Mint, within the year of its date, but not after. Standing orders for such pieces will be registered, and attended to
    (Rules quoted from a draft of an upcoming book on restriking and sale of pattern and circulation coins by Roger Burdette - thanks Roger!)

    But... not 100% sure that is calendar year or fiscal year. Have to track down any 1875 die destruction records and when 1876 three cent pieces started production that year.

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "You Suck Award" - February, 2015

    Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
  • StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 5, 2021 5:54AM

    I found the article from Denga's tip in the May 1969 Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine

    "Coiner Snowden's Trial Coins Bring Rebuke From Mint Director" by R.W. Julian on pages 758 - 760.

    I e-mailed Amos Media for permission to retype the article as written in this thread, but they declined due to an ongoing project to digitize past copies.

    If you have that issue, well worth the read.

    The letters I found in the NNP and posted in the OP were from Director Linderman. What I can't find, and don't seem to be digitized yet are the letters going the other way - from Superintendent Pollock back to Linderman.

    I believe R.W. Julian laid eyes on these letters to write his article, as the bulk of the details seem to come from Coiner Snowden himself.

    On 5/6/1876 Linderman wrote to Pollock: "Sir, I have your letter of yesterday enclosing an explanation by the Coiner in reference to striking the three cent pieces in pure nickel, for Mr. Joseph Wharton." I'm pretty sure this explanation from the Coiner (Snowden) provided many of the details in Julian's article.

    So without getting into copyright purgatory, some of the highlights of the article include:

    • In a series of visits to the Mint and with Snowden, Wharton had a pure nickel strip rolled, and 4 planchets created. 2 of the 4 were burnished, but all 4 were struck.

    • The visit dates were not known, but suspect late 1875 or early 1876. There is no record of which year or even which dies were used. Julian surmised it was more likely they were 1875 dies, but was also possible older pattern dies were used, and less likely they were 1876 dies. The trial pieces were kept with Snowden after these trials.

    • In late April 1876, this is when Wharton asked Snowden if he could have the coins to display at the Centennial Exposition - which then prompted the chain of letters posted in the OP.

    • As with today - Julian couldn't find any records of 1875 or 1876 trial pieces ever returned, entered into the cabinet, or referenced again in Mint documents or Judd documents.

    So it doesn't appear the pieces were struck immediately before the letter chain posted, rather prepared in a series of visits in a wider time frame before the letters.

    So still some more work to do - have to try to find more letters in the Mint Archives, or wait for them to get digitized. Have to track down dates of Wharton's visits to the Mint and with the Coiner to see about pinpointing possible striking dates to then maybe narrow down the dies used.

    So - it's possible that 4 pure nickel three cent pieces were struck as trials, and may or may not be out in the wild today. They were likely struck with either 1875 or 1876 normal dies, with a slight chance of other pattern dies on hand at the time.

    Still more questions than answers - hopefully folks start putting a magnet to their slabs/flips and maybe one will show up.

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "You Suck Award" - February, 2015

    Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,499 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Fascinating.
    It is possible that pure nickel pieces dated both 1875 and 1876 exist, so owners of either should check them with a magnet.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 5, 2021 3:27PM

    @CaptHenway said:
    Fascinating.
    It is possible that pure nickel pieces dated both 1875 and 1876 exist, so owners of either should check them with a magnet.

    Anything is possible at this point, but from the way the article reads - that in the latter part of 1875 Wharton had Snowden roll out the strip of pure nickel to ascertain its ductility.

    Then it just shows "afterwards" Wharton returned to the mint to see Snowden when he made the planchets from the strip, annealed, cleaned and burnished two of them, then struck the four of them with three cent nickel dies.

    It reads to me that the 4 struck were done at the same time, so were likely the same date.

    Then some months later Wharton approached Snowden again to ask about using them at the Expo. So the time frames are quite sketchy at this point.

    So far I've only found one reference to Wharton visiting the Philadelphia Mint in that time frame.
    2/8/1876 - Linderman writes Wharton 2 letters to different addresses letting him know that The President has designated him as an Assay Commissioner to test the reserved coins of 1875. The Commission will meet at the Mint in Philadelphia at 10:00am tomorrow (2/9/1876)

    This date would fit both the article's "afterwards" from the latter part of 1875 as well as being "some months" later when he would have asked for the coins to display at the exposition.

    However... I found the die destruction records from Snowden via Pollock to Linderman showing that the 1875 three cent dies were destroyed on 1/3/1876. There were 6 Obverse and 11 Reverse, with 4 Reverse being retained for the next year, total of 13 destroyed.

    So if the 2/9/1876 visit to the mint was the striking of coins visit, they could not have been dated 1875.

    But of course, that's all still Bologna until some better sources can be found. Maybe the Wharton Papers archive will have some clues. Until then, I'll keep digging, but think I'm running low on leads. Kind of the joy of a public forum - hopefully others will know/find something to add.

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "You Suck Award" - February, 2015

    Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
  • StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 6, 2021 11:38AM

    Wharton briefly mentions the coins in his 1877 book: Memorandum Concerning Small Money and Nickel Alloy Coinage: With Illustrations and Descriptions of Existing Nickel Alloy Coins

    https://books.google.com/books?id=4n8aAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q="pure nickel"&f=false

    On page 16, he writes: "An alloy, still richer in nickel, would be practicable with pure metals and due care in working -- indeed I have specimen coins of pure nickel made of my nickel"

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "You Suck Award" - February, 2015

    Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
  • StrikeOutXXXStrikeOutXXX Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My Breen Encyclopedia finally arrived to check the reference from the Goldberg auction entry.

    for 1875, Breen writes: "Apply a magnet to any specimen of this or next, UNC. or proof; 2 of each were made in pure nickel for Joseph Wharton: Julian {1969}. Pure nickel is magnetic, cupro-nickel is not."

    For 1876, Breen's entry is simply: "Same comments as to 1875."

    Breen referenced the Julian article from the May 1969 Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine.

    I believe Breen's "2 of each" comment is not referring to different years, rather 2 of each UNC and proof, based on Julian's article passage of: "The four planchets cut from the strip were given the usual processing (annealing, cleaning, etc.) and it was found that they were far too rough for the purposes of regular coinage. So at Wharton's suggestion Snowden burnished two of the blanks and then proceeded to strike the four pieces..."

    I think the suggestion is the 2 burnished pieces would present as proofs, and the 2 rougher unburnished pieces would present as business strikes (even though the same dies were used).

    Julian's article didn't prove if they were struck with 1875 or 1876 dies as "...the exact date of striking is unknown."

    I don't think we will know until more mint documents are located, something is found in Wharton's paper's or someone locates a magnetic 1875/1876 three cent piece. If they were struck after Jan 3, 1876 when the 1875 dies were destroyed, it should narrow the pieces down to 1876.

    The search continues.

    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "You Suck Award" - February, 2015

    Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101

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