What are proof Morgan Zerbe dies?

Placid

I have never heard the term. What make them different from regular proof dies? Morgan dollar stuck from Zerbe dies.

MrKelso

I seem to remember something about poorly cleaned dies and some die file marks. I will have to get out my books and look. There's a bunch of things going on here
according to Breen Everything from Infrequent reeding to scattered die striations to berrie size on the rev. Some of the business strikes have only 157 edge reeds
Breen page 459 if you have that book.

Gilbert

The two type proofs for 1921

Chapman proofs - Henry Chapman of Phila was an influential dealer and collector of the era when one could make requests from the mint. Since Zerbe got his "presentation pieces" he made his pitch and twelve pieces were struck w/very deep mirrors and light contrast, the rarest of Morgan Proofs and are known as the "Chapman Proofs."

Zerbe proofs - Farran Zerbe another influence of the time, due to the delay in producing Peace dollars 20 - 200 proofs w/mirrors of less depth and less contrast (also referred to as presentation pieces) were struck to appease him. They are differentiated by a small die scratch from the 2nd U in UNUM to the denticles.

There are also supposedly five known, of a possible twenty-four branch mint proofs from San Fran for 1921, which were allegedly also struck to complement Zerbe's "P" mint proofs, however, they are considered to be of mediocre quality, the least attractive of all branch mint proofs and probably struck from business strike dies.

MrKelso

Thank you Gilbert. I knew there was so much more then what i had added.

nwcs

Here's some extra info from Coinfacts.com

Placid

Thanks all