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Trial Strikes of James Earle Frasers five cent piece dated 1913.
Hintonator
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Trial Strikes of James Earle Frasers five cent piece dated 1913.
There were three trial strikes of the 1913 Buffalo Nickel. These are called Prototypes by Walter Breen; #2584 and #2585 (third is unlisted) respectively and Patterns by J. Hewitt Judd; #J-1950, J-1951 and J-1954 (formally J-1789, J-1789a and J-1790) respectively. I have found very little information on the subject coins, minus a few auction records for the first trial strike (B2584/J-1950).
It appears that the main reason for the second trial strike was due to the lobbying of a vending machine company by the name of Hobbs Manufacturing Company. Hobbs Manufacturing Co. was in the process or had recently completed a “Counterfeit-detection device” or “Coin-detecting device” (depending on the source) for vending machines. The company complained that the new coins would not pass their device and demanded numerous changes. The mint attempted to comply with the demands but eventually Secretary MacVeagh (Secretary of the Treasury) told the mint authorities to proceed with the design originally approved and let the vending companies change their apparatus instead. The first trial strike has been represented at auction just 3 times in the last two decades with two of those appearances representing the same coin, of King Farouk fame. The complete set of 1913 dated trial strikes is unobtainable and the few available are out of reach for most collectors.
Trial Strike One:
Known as Breen-2584 or Judd-1950, the design is similar to that of the type I buffalo nickel. Struck on the 13th of January 1913, the trial strike was made of Nickel and had a plain edge. The trail strike had a flat-top 3 in the date (verses a round-top 3 in another trial strike) and no “F” under the date. According to Breen but not listed in Judd is that this piece also had a larger diameter than the other trial strikes, at 21.3mm (0.839”) vs. 21.1mm (0.869”). It is possible that this is a mistake as the second trial strike is known to have been struck on larger planchets. Mintage was 17, with two in the Smithsonian Institution, six melted and the rest in private hands. There have been 3 auction appearances of this trial strike since 1990 with at least two of those being the same coin from the King Farouk collection. PCGS lists a population of two, one in PR65 and one in PR62. A Superior Galleries auction in 1990 suggests that the PR62 was once in a PR61 holder.
Heritage described the coin as: Similar to the adopted design but lacking the designer's initial F below the date. Struck in nickel with a plain edge. The surfaces have a rough, granular texture that is even more pronounced than on the regular issue coins. Obviously cleaned at one time, the surfaces have since retoned in speckled rose and lime-green colors but much of the underlying brilliance is still evident.
HA.com link
Trial Strike Two:
Known as Breen-2585 or Judd-1951, the design is similar to that of the type I buffalo nickel. Struck on the 13th of February 1913, the trial strike was made of Nickel and had a plain edge. The trial strike had a round-top 3 in the date and no “F” under the date. This trial strike was struck on oversize planchets to see what the design would look like if moved farther in from the rim. This was requested by the Hobbs Manufacturing Co.. This could in fact be the oversize planchets Breen is referring to in his book which is incorrectly assigned to the first trial strike. I do not know this to be a fact but is based on conflicting information from two different authors. I have not seen either trial strike in person. Mintage was four with two in the Smithsonian Institution, one was melted and the fourth was given to Secretary of the Treasury Franklin MacVeagh. I could find no auction records for the MacVeagh piece or any reference to its whereabouts.
Trial Strike Three:
Known as Judd-1954 and unlisted by Breen, the design is similar to that of the type II buffalo nickel. This is a unique piece struck of bronze. This piece was undoubtedly engraved by Charles E. Barber as he is the one who changed Frasers design to the type II buffalo nickel. I have not found the weight, or the diameter listed in any of my limited references. I could find no auction records for this piece it is currently located in the Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Foundation.
United States Pattern Coins Experimental and Trial Pieces 8th edition.
Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and colonial Coins.
uspatterns.com
If anyone can add any information to what I have just posted, please do.
There were three trial strikes of the 1913 Buffalo Nickel. These are called Prototypes by Walter Breen; #2584 and #2585 (third is unlisted) respectively and Patterns by J. Hewitt Judd; #J-1950, J-1951 and J-1954 (formally J-1789, J-1789a and J-1790) respectively. I have found very little information on the subject coins, minus a few auction records for the first trial strike (B2584/J-1950).
It appears that the main reason for the second trial strike was due to the lobbying of a vending machine company by the name of Hobbs Manufacturing Company. Hobbs Manufacturing Co. was in the process or had recently completed a “Counterfeit-detection device” or “Coin-detecting device” (depending on the source) for vending machines. The company complained that the new coins would not pass their device and demanded numerous changes. The mint attempted to comply with the demands but eventually Secretary MacVeagh (Secretary of the Treasury) told the mint authorities to proceed with the design originally approved and let the vending companies change their apparatus instead. The first trial strike has been represented at auction just 3 times in the last two decades with two of those appearances representing the same coin, of King Farouk fame. The complete set of 1913 dated trial strikes is unobtainable and the few available are out of reach for most collectors.
Trial Strike One:
Known as Breen-2584 or Judd-1950, the design is similar to that of the type I buffalo nickel. Struck on the 13th of January 1913, the trial strike was made of Nickel and had a plain edge. The trail strike had a flat-top 3 in the date (verses a round-top 3 in another trial strike) and no “F” under the date. According to Breen but not listed in Judd is that this piece also had a larger diameter than the other trial strikes, at 21.3mm (0.839”) vs. 21.1mm (0.869”). It is possible that this is a mistake as the second trial strike is known to have been struck on larger planchets. Mintage was 17, with two in the Smithsonian Institution, six melted and the rest in private hands. There have been 3 auction appearances of this trial strike since 1990 with at least two of those being the same coin from the King Farouk collection. PCGS lists a population of two, one in PR65 and one in PR62. A Superior Galleries auction in 1990 suggests that the PR62 was once in a PR61 holder.
Heritage described the coin as: Similar to the adopted design but lacking the designer's initial F below the date. Struck in nickel with a plain edge. The surfaces have a rough, granular texture that is even more pronounced than on the regular issue coins. Obviously cleaned at one time, the surfaces have since retoned in speckled rose and lime-green colors but much of the underlying brilliance is still evident.
HA.com link
Trial Strike Two:
Known as Breen-2585 or Judd-1951, the design is similar to that of the type I buffalo nickel. Struck on the 13th of February 1913, the trial strike was made of Nickel and had a plain edge. The trial strike had a round-top 3 in the date and no “F” under the date. This trial strike was struck on oversize planchets to see what the design would look like if moved farther in from the rim. This was requested by the Hobbs Manufacturing Co.. This could in fact be the oversize planchets Breen is referring to in his book which is incorrectly assigned to the first trial strike. I do not know this to be a fact but is based on conflicting information from two different authors. I have not seen either trial strike in person. Mintage was four with two in the Smithsonian Institution, one was melted and the fourth was given to Secretary of the Treasury Franklin MacVeagh. I could find no auction records for the MacVeagh piece or any reference to its whereabouts.
Trial Strike Three:
Known as Judd-1954 and unlisted by Breen, the design is similar to that of the type II buffalo nickel. This is a unique piece struck of bronze. This piece was undoubtedly engraved by Charles E. Barber as he is the one who changed Frasers design to the type II buffalo nickel. I have not found the weight, or the diameter listed in any of my limited references. I could find no auction records for this piece it is currently located in the Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Foundation.
United States Pattern Coins Experimental and Trial Pieces 8th edition.
Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and colonial Coins.
uspatterns.com
If anyone can add any information to what I have just posted, please do.
I actively collect, buy and sell US minted Philippine coins from 1903-1945. I am interested in anything during this period, Albums, Proof sets, collections, original rolls and bags, Cullion Leper colony coins etc.
Also a big fan of liberty seated coins.
Also a big fan of liberty seated coins.
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