Frank Gasparro question

Whitby

All-

When Frank Gasparro was designing the SBA dollar, he had a concept with liberty on the obverse and another eagle design on the reverse. Do copies of this exist for purchase?

JoeLewis

You can get a reproduction here. I don't know of any real pattern pieces available.

goldboy

dcarr

This is the one (note "COPY" on reverse):

19Lyds

Some were obviously struck as indicated at Small Dollars.com but it is unclear, at least to me, if any survived.

RWB

It appears that although pattern and experimental pieces were struck using Gasparo’s Liberty design, all of the examples were destroyed. The design is known only from photos. Quite a few hubs/dies are listed on destruction affidavits including:

June 20, 1978 –
Liberty-type experimental dollar, 1977…4 obverse
Liberty-type experimental dollar, 1978…10 obverse
Liberty-type experimental dollar, 1979…6 obverse
Liberty-type experimental dollar…16 reverse

May 3, 1979 –
Liberty-type experimental dollar, 1979…2 obverse

It is possible there were others, also; however, I have not located the files.

BTW – the destruction was on orders from possibly the most damaging person ever to hold the position of Mint Director: Stella Hackel, who wantonly destroyed huge quantities of historic mint documents. (I say “possibly” only because A. Piatt Andrew smashed all the pre-1910 pattern hubs – quite a feat of destruction in itself.)

CaptHenway

ttt

Zoins

Thanks to Tom for posting this photo and many others here.

I'm very curious about the two different reverses now.

CaptHenway

Indeed. There may have been multiple reverses.
To the best of your knowledge, had anybody noticed the difference in the two reverses before I happened to catch it in the other thread? I don't think I had ever noticed it.
TD

Zoins

I'm unaware of anyone noticing the two different reverses until you pointed it out. Good find on that one.

From looking at the two designs, I wonder if design you posted was his original design. illini420's scans (one below) show a similar design on a sketch and clay model with three feathers protruding into the word UNITED.

If so, I wonder if the design on the above replicas could be what the design looked like when it was engraved onto a die for striking.

I do like the strong, higher relief, and more chiseled look in your photos. However, I wonder if it would work well on clad coins.

jmcu12

So do you think Stella hinkel ever regretted the Sba dollar in later years? For it's sheer failure or horrific design - either one?