1860 Liberty Seated Dollar Proof Counts
kevinj
Posts: 989 ✭✭✭
In my book, The Authoritative Reference on Liberty Seated Dollars, published this year, I stated on page 140 that the 1,330 proof mintage listed in the Red Book, which originated from Walter Breen's Proof book was incorrect. I asserted that the correct total was 1,000 1860 Dollar proofs, matching the total for the other denominations.
I quoted Breen was stated "[1,330, net 527] The extra 330 minted over and above the 1,000 for sets, all on March 8, appear to have anticipated extra demand for silver dollars, by souvenir hunters not wishing to buy complete sets."
In a recent discussion with R.W. Julian (aka denga), Julian stated that
"It is worth noting that Flynn’s recent book on Seated Liberty dollars has a similar problem. One such difficulty, for example, is the 1,330 silver dollar proofs for 1860 reported by Breen but for which Flynn says that the Archives have no such records. Unfortunately the Archives do in fact have the information and it was used in the Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine for September 1964."
Julian quotes as evidence his 1964 article on Philadelphia Coinage Statistics, The Silver Dollar, 1853-1873.
In the article, for March 8, 1860 Julian lists "(proofs 1,330)"
An article regarding a subject, IMO, does not represent evidence as to the facts.
We do not know if the information was interpreted, if there were assumptions, or something else.
If Julian does have actual archive evidence, I will gladly change my proof counts for 1860, as the truth based upon the facts in the most important factor to consider.
I was at the archives this morning and found no such evidence yet.
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Julian also states that
"6) I find letters from January 30 and February 17, 1862, which indicate that 1860 proof coins were no longer on hand. Those of 1861 were, however."
In the Bullion Ledger, #96, under Melter & Refiner, under January 13, 1862, it states "Specimen Coins $2,556"
It does not state if these were patterns, proofs, or what years they were, it is assumed that it was mostly 1860 and before proof sets, and possibly 1861 proof sets.
In a letter from Pollock on January 22, 1862, he states to C.W. Moore that proof coins of 1860 and 1861 can also be purchased at the usual rates.
On Feb 22, Pollock states that only 1861&62 were available
I would agree that the majority of 1860 proof sets were melted in January of 1862, most likely the majority of left over 1861 proof sets also.
I would conclude that several 1860 and 1861 sets were kept for sale as obvious in the correspondence.
kevin
I quoted Breen was stated "[1,330, net 527] The extra 330 minted over and above the 1,000 for sets, all on March 8, appear to have anticipated extra demand for silver dollars, by souvenir hunters not wishing to buy complete sets."
In a recent discussion with R.W. Julian (aka denga), Julian stated that
"It is worth noting that Flynn’s recent book on Seated Liberty dollars has a similar problem. One such difficulty, for example, is the 1,330 silver dollar proofs for 1860 reported by Breen but for which Flynn says that the Archives have no such records. Unfortunately the Archives do in fact have the information and it was used in the Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine for September 1964."
Julian quotes as evidence his 1964 article on Philadelphia Coinage Statistics, The Silver Dollar, 1853-1873.
In the article, for March 8, 1860 Julian lists "(proofs 1,330)"
An article regarding a subject, IMO, does not represent evidence as to the facts.
We do not know if the information was interpreted, if there were assumptions, or something else.
If Julian does have actual archive evidence, I will gladly change my proof counts for 1860, as the truth based upon the facts in the most important factor to consider.
I was at the archives this morning and found no such evidence yet.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Julian also states that
"6) I find letters from January 30 and February 17, 1862, which indicate that 1860 proof coins were no longer on hand. Those of 1861 were, however."
In the Bullion Ledger, #96, under Melter & Refiner, under January 13, 1862, it states "Specimen Coins $2,556"
It does not state if these were patterns, proofs, or what years they were, it is assumed that it was mostly 1860 and before proof sets, and possibly 1861 proof sets.
In a letter from Pollock on January 22, 1862, he states to C.W. Moore that proof coins of 1860 and 1861 can also be purchased at the usual rates.
On Feb 22, Pollock states that only 1861&62 were available
I would agree that the majority of 1860 proof sets were melted in January of 1862, most likely the majority of left over 1861 proof sets also.
I would conclude that several 1860 and 1861 sets were kept for sale as obvious in the correspondence.
kevin
Kevin J Flynn
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