Three distinct types of 1908-D Double Eagle.
RogerB
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[Removed large image. Little interest.]
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RogerB
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Good info.
Would the "long rays - no motto" version be better classified as a variety, if the only (or primary) difference is long vs. short rays?
The entire short-ray obverse is different - stars, building, all of it is the 1907 obverse. Barber made a new hub with long rays. sharper stars, etc. and that was used beginning April 1908.
The 1908 SR/NM and 1908 LR/NM photos above seem very similar, certainly much more than say the 1861-S Paquet discussion going on now:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/975923/the-exciting-1861-paquet-reverse-twenty-dollar-liberties-again-in-the-news#latest
Go on line and pull up one of each, then compare all the details. I refer to them as types because completely different hubs were involved.
Type 1 - original 1907 hubs with date change.
Type 2 - new 1908 obverse hub; reverse is 1907 hub.
Type 3 - 1908 obverse hub; reverse is new 1908 motto hub.
Similar things happened to DE with the Paquet hubs and new 1877 hubs.
Are the photos posted above not enough for a comparison?
I thought a type required a significant design change, not a minor design change or hub change (with minor design changes). If a hub change with minor design differences are enough, that's good to know.
They are low resolution so that the overall image would post OK. The three coins are in PCGS Coinfacts and the high resolutions images will work fine for seeing the differences between 1907 and 1908 hubs.
I was also under the impression that different types should be differentiated easily with low resolution photos, so having certain types require high resolution photos for differentiation is good to know.
Just checked out my no motto, it's the short rays type/variety. Never knew there were two out there, not my series and I only bought it to fill a hole in my type set. Thanks for posting this info.
it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide
There was a rather significant hub change made on the Indian cent obverse in 1886, but nobody considers that to be a new "Type."
That said, I was unaware of the variety, or that it came paired with both reverses.
Great information... and the differences between the long rays and short rays coins are quite noticeable when one looks closely.... Cheers, RickO
If circulation/hoarding affected each Type proportionately, then all should be about the same availability and price. As ricko noted, above, once you look closely there are many clear differences between the Type 1 (1907) and Type 2 (1908) obverses, with the 1908 hub being much clearer and having better separation of detail from the rim and internally.
This is an example of a very prominent change, adding the motto, overshadowing a change of equal or greater extent. Curiously, I have yet to find any early article discussing the stars, olive branch, capitol, oak leaves and other differences throughout between Type 1 and Type 2.
With monetary differences unlikely, I don't expect TPGs or others to do much until after the DE book is published.
BTW - the same three Types occur for 1908 Philadelphia double eagles, but I do not have a really good breakdown between Types 1 and 2. San Francisco made only Type-1 and Type-3.
Very good information. Thanks