Three cent patterns

Dr_Bones

I have recently had my book on three cent patterns published. This is a very niche area of collecting and likely not of interest to many. However, this is the most comprehensive look at a single denomination within the pattern collecting arena. It represents 47 years of researching and collecting. Extensive metal testing was done and revealed changes in composition on long held beliefs. The book will show the need for elimination, consolidation, and expansion in some cases of the Judd categorization.
Rarity scale will be updated on over 50% of the current Judd specimens. Extensive auction catalog sale documentation also occurs.
This book is available to be perused for free on the Newman Numismatic Portal https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/642584
or hardcover copies can be purchased at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Catalog-Patterns-Michael-Bourne/dp/B0DNTV2KJG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=29GTPBSYE6UEI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.5psyC0qYMfydxBjQ307Wbh1ELVzYc03M5Pj0G2lAqik.gcbsn1h3NlN5NsjnnM3NWpARwnw-aO1vMlHg2TtI8Gc&dib_tag=se&keywords=michael+bourne+catalog+patterns&qid=1733144834&sprefix=michael+bourne+catalog+patterns,aps,108&sr=8-1

CaptHenway

Congratulations!

yosclimber

Very nice.
I read the 1849 section on the NNP.
I remember looking at auction photos of J-111 and J-112 and noticing they used the V-8 obverse die.

oih82w8

I think some of the patterns that were struck were some of the better looking than the production run coins. Congratulations!

lermish

Now that is a labor of love! Congratulations on a really special achievement!

retirednow

Nice job Michael... while the PDF version offers search features if in a hurry ... my hard copy arrived Saturday via Amazon and enjoyed flipping the pages and studying the large color images. Congratulations.

Time to sit back and relax ... you accomplished a nice milestone that few have accomplished.

CaptHenway

Were you able to establish if the 1853 Type of 1854 pattern ever did really exist, or if it was just somebody’s misdescription of something else?

Copperindian

Awesome achievement - CONGRATULATIONS!

WinLoseWin

A quick note @Dr_Bones :

It looks like an 1869 J-676 got reported as an 8-23-2024 price realized for the 1868 J-615 on page 221. Can be a little confusing to keep track of what pattern list is being looked at without page headings.

https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-1BD5S1/1869-pattern-three-cents-judd-676-pollock-753-rarity-4-nickel-plain-edge-proof-50-pcgs

Dr_Bones

@WinLoseWin said:
A quick note @Dr_Bones :

It looks like an 1869 J-676 got reported as an 8-23-2024 price realized for the 1868 J-615 on page 221. Can be a little confusing to keep track of what pattern list is being looked at without page headings.

https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-1BD5S1/1869-pattern-three-cents-judd-676-pollock-753-rarity-4-nickel-plain-edge-proof-50-pcgs

You are the official winner of finding the first of likely many typos or mistakes. Thanks for pointing out. I had a placeholder in the J-676 area but in editing got put into the J-615 listing, At least I didnt put it as part of the J-615 census

johnny9434

😎

Dr_Bones

@CaptHenway said:
Were you able to establish if the 1853 Type of 1854 pattern ever did really exist, or if it was just somebody’s misdescription of something else?

This is a summary of my take on J-153. I am uncertain if its existence as you will see in my commentary. The timing is suspicious . Furthermore if it just was the first one minted, it should therefore not be a pattern but a regular issue coin.
My best guess, if it indeed exists, is that it may exist as a 1853 type 1 design produced in standard silver . If that is the case, it is possible it exists in the world of 1853 coinage but would need metal testing to find it.

1853
Congress passed laws on 2/21/1853 and 3/3/1853 to change silver coinage. These laws reduced the weight of all of the silver coins except the silver dollar. The three-cent piece was increased in silver fineness to 90% from 75% but had its weight reduced from .8 grains to .75 grains. As before, all other silver coins were given legal tender limits but Congress elected to keep the Three Cent Piece at a reduced legal value. Mintage of the Type 1 three cent piece ceased on 3/31/1853. This piece has been listed as a pattern based on an auction comment in the Mickley sale. Its existence as a pattern has remained speculative for a long period of time. Its inclusion in the Judd book with an assigned Judd number is the reason that I propose in this book additional Judd numbers for previously sold specimens also never seen. In addition, I have proposed the elimination of patterns such as this that may or may not exist.

J-153 Davis not listed AW not listed Pollock 182
Trime Unknown edge Silver
Old Rarity: Unique
New Rarity: Unique

Date Auction Co Grade Lot SVC PRL Sale Name Bought by
10/28/1867 W.E. Woodward Proof 2184 .25 Joseph J. Mickley by Levick
Noted in Catalog “Coined April 10th: the first coinage of this denomination of standard silver: none issued for some time after.”

Known Specimens
Certified None

Commentary: Through the years we have supposed the design of J-153 to be of a new pattern design. The original Judd book, which first listed it, actually described the Type 3 trime design. This would seem to be impossible, as the type 3 design did not start until 1859. The updated description of the Type 2 design did not occur until the Judd 8th edition.
As I researched the sale of Levick's coins, it never did surface again. His final sale did include Trimes of 1853. As I dug deeper, the coin itself was supposedly minted 4/10, the first coinage of this denomination of standard silver. It made me wonder if it is possible that this coin represented a type 1 design and was tested on a new standard silver composition planchet.
There is well documented correspondence regarding new die designs for all coinage. As of 3/31/1853 in a letter from Director of Mint Ecker to the Secretary of Treasury that he had enclosed two specimen quarters and was working on the half dollar, dime and half-dime. It makes no mention of work on a 3-cent piece and yet one was struck 10 days later.
We know that a circular was placed on 7/26/1853 by the mint for new three cent designs. None were received. The new Type 2 design was not approved until 11/10/1853. As the mint was actively soliciting designs 4 months after this striking, it makes me wonder if 10 days after the congressional mandate came down that a new design would already be ready for striking and then be adopted 7 months later. Particularly, when the director of the Mint was concentrating on other coinage. It seems to me more likely that the existing 1853 type 1 die was utilized to mint a coin to test the new silver composition. As such, it could be that this specimen exists as the only 1853 Type 1 in Standard Silver. Therefore, it may not be distinguishable without this knowledge and may explain its seeming disappearance. Levick had an extensive collection at one point selling 22,000 tokens and store cards through Woodward. In one of the sales of his collection is an 1853 trime but there is no special mention in that lot of it being the coin previously purchased. Because of his collecting history overall and the fact that he collected some patterns, it would make sense that if he indeed had a unique pattern that it would have been preserved and designated as such.
As we are not certain of its design and it disposition, it could make sense to consider removing from Judd unless further information is forthcoming

New Rarity: Unique Consider removal from Judd

CaptHenway

Thank you for the very comprehensive response!

CaptHenway

Are there any official documents which say that the Arrows added to the reverse design on the Reverse of 1854 were a deliberate attempt to signify the change in weight and fineness, as were the Arrows at the date on the Half Dime through Half Dollar which signified a change in weight?

It would certainly have made it much easier to separate the two different fineness coins as they came back in over the years as uncurrent coins. The ones without the Arrows go back to the refinery, and the ones with the Arrows just get melted and recast as ingots.

golden

Congratulations.

Raybo

I like the odd ball denominations (2,3 and 20 Cent pieces), keep up the good work.

Dr_Bones

@CaptHenway said:
Are there any official documents which say that the Arrows added to the reverse design on the Reverse of 1854 were a deliberate attempt to signify the change in weight and fineness, as were the Arrows at the date on the Half Dime through Half Dollar which signified a change in weight?

It would certainly have made it much easier to separate the two different fineness coins as they came back in over the years as uncurrent coins. The ones without the Arrows go back to the refinery, and the ones with the Arrows just get melted and recast as ingots.

I certainly did not come across that specifically while researching. Roger Burdette with his access and his ability to access those documents may be a good resource to query. He was my go to guy to look up pertinent issues for the book.

CaptHenway

Good idea. Roger has been of great help to me on my book about the cents of 1922.