Gallery Mint "One Concept" strikes.

keets

I have a fondness for the Gallery Mint Dollar prototypes struck prior to and just after the Sac Dollars were issued. I won another just this evening, a 2000 Statue of Liberty 11-ray Media issue. I guess it's the designs which appeal to me but the quasi-pattern-ness of the things mess with my head!! Does anyone else have an opinion on them as Patterns, either official or otherwise?? Does anyone else collect them?? Does anyone else like the designs??



Al H.

lasvegasteddy

put me in the...likes um crowd here...
yeah that 11 ray is better of um too

Dentuck

Do you have photos and/or a link?

astrorat

I'm a fan as well. I really think Ron Landis is underrated as an engraver ... his Renaissance medals/medalettes are just remarkable.

messydesk

They're sort of like Feuchtwangers -- private issue patterns. The Statue of Liberty concept coins of intended weight and size were circulated through Congress during the design selection phase as part of Ron Landis' design submission. I can't find info on how many of these were made. There were later 2500 piedforts made for collectors (I have one of these). The SoL had a lot of support, but politics got in the way. From the GMM newsletter of March 1998:

The big question now is what design will be on the new dollar coin tha tis needed to replace the failed Susan B. Anthony coin. Rep. Michael Castle among others tried to include a Statue of Liberty design in the bill, but found opposition by certain senators that are insisting a woman or women of historic distinction be featured on the new coin.

edix2001

Mike Wallace has all the details on the Gallery Mint Museum Concept dollar designs on his website:
The Gallery Mint's "One Concept" Dollars

keets

here is a cut/paste from the website linked in the above post:

The Media issue has 11 rays and the Congressional issue has 13 rays. The actual mintage of the Media issue is unknown, but it is estimated to be between 55 and 70 pieces. An 11 Rays "Media issue" struck on a piedfort planchet was acquired by Verne Walrafen in March 2005. How many were struck on a piedfort planchet is unknown, but it is presumably unique.

what makes the piece i won interesting is that the seller states in the auction description "This auction is for a 2000 GALLERY MINT PIEDFORT PROTOTYPE CONCEPT MISS LIBERTY DOLLAR" and the picture clearly shows an 11 ray coin. hopefully everything is as it seems and i'll be in possession of either the unique Media issue or number 2.

Zoins

The Statue of Liberty pieces are interesting because the pieces were created for US Senate members with an obverse design from former Mint engraver James Ferrell and suggested by U. S. House Representative Mike Castle, Ron Landis' reverse design was a finalist for the golden dollar reverse.

MWallace

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

I was the under-bidder on that piece. The same piece was sold last week (I was the under-bidder on it too). Don't know why it was relisted. Only the second piedfort 11-ray I've heard about (I will change the info on my site soon to reflect this).

mrpaseo

No interest here but that hand carved coin looks cool.

Ray

keets

well, it arrived today and is quite lovely. compared to another "Piedfort" it is clear that it is simply a standard issue which appears thicker due to the nature of the strike; it is Proof-like with high rims. i suppose the intention was to offer a strong rendition of the design since it was intended as a presentation piece. that goal was achieved.

i'll try to get some pictures of it when i can find the time.

edix2001

The late Verne Walrafen's site has the 1995 Concept dollar standard planchet measurements as:
Brass 28.7mm diameter 3.2mm thickness 17.3g weight

messydesk

Looking forward to seeing the newp. Ron Landis is a talented engraver. While others were sketching their dollar concepts on paper, he was sketching his in die steel.

Jinx86

really great looking pieces, better then what was choosen I think.

keets

here are pictures for anyone who's been patient enough to wait over four years!!! the top one is the 11-ray and the bottom is the more common 13-ray issue.

Baley

I've collected a near complete set of Gallery Mint (both obverse and reverse COPY stamp, where applicable, in Full Compliance with the HPA) but have not ventured into their prototype/pattern work yet... thanks for posting these, they're "on the list" of items I still want to obtain, someday..

MWallace

keets

Mike, thanks for the web site, it has been very helpful and when I first became interested in these it was my roadmap!!



Baley, if you are drawn to the artistic style of these you'll find that several Types are easy to acquire if you have the patience needed to wait for realistic prices. others are elusive, the off metal strikes, Congressional examples and most of all the 1998 dates issues. around five years ago I was searching online and came across offerings by Dr. Lawrence Lee that I thought were too expensive. I hedged and now they are no longer available. hindsight being 20/20 I should have bought everything he had --- the intervening years have shown those prices to be bargains.

lordmarcovan

Not bad looking.



PS- there is something in the stance of that eagle that reminds me of early Small Eagle coinage, despite the sun rays and "PEACE" legend inviting comparison with De Francisi's Peace dollar eagle.