More fun with Pattern Pieces

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RogerB
RogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited November 22, 2016 4:18PM in U.S. Coin Forum

This letter predates the one requesting a list of all pattern dies, as quoted in another post.

"July 31, 1877
From: Preston (acting director)
To: Pollock

I am instructed by the Director to request that you will cause to be struck in copper and transmitted to this office two pieces from each of the pattern or experimental dies which have been prepared during the past year by Messrs. Barber, Morgan and Pacquet from the $50 piece to the dime.

[RG 04, entry 235, vol 13, p.62 ]"

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  • CaptHenway
    CaptHenway Posts: 34,164 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Very interesting! I wonder if they did mules of them as well?

    Professional Numismatist, Retired. 55 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner of the PNG's 2026 Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
  • cmerlo1
    cmerlo1 Posts: 8,075 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Wow. Very cool!

    You Suck! Awarded 6/2008- 1901-O Micro O Morgan, 8/2008- 1878 VAM-123 Morgan, 9/2022 1888-O VAM-1B3 H8 Morgan | Senior Regional Representative- ANACS Coin Grading. Posted opinions on coins are my own, and are not an official ANACS opinion.
  • Rittenhouse
    Rittenhouse Posts: 677 ✭✭✭✭
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    @RogerB said:
    This letter predates the one requesting a list of all pattern dies, as quoted in another post.

    "July 31, 1877
    From: Preston (acting director)
    To: Pollock

    I am instructed by the Director to request that you will cause to be struck in copper and transmitted to this office two pieces from each of the pattern or experimental dies which have been prepared during the past year by Messrs. Barber, Morgan and Pacquet from the $50 piece to the dime.

    [RG 04, entry 235, vol 13, p.62 ]"

    Gee, I wonder what the little roach wanted with them? Oh wait, I don't have to wonder, there they are on uspatterns.com!

    Roger, thanks for finding this. I've sent copy to JD and Saul. If you have any more like this, please let us know!!!

  • RogerB
    RogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Much of this was sent to Saul several years ago. A deep=dive research article on manufacture and distribution of early patters and restrikes is in the works, but there is much more work to do before any preliminary conclusions can be made.

    Linderman maintained a collection of US coins and pattern pieces in his Washington DC office. His purpose was to have materials ready for any inquiry from Congress, and to also entertain Members who visited the Treasury building. He considered these his personal property and many of the pieces were offered in the 1887 sale of his Estate coins & medals.

    I'm gradually transcribing files, but with 100,000+ images and photocopies it will take a while. Several collectors are making transcriptions from handwritten materials for me, also.

  • DUIGUY
    DUIGUY Posts: 7,252 ✭✭✭
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    Love this area.

    “A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly."



    - Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106-43 BC
  • ricko
    ricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Very interesting Roger... makes me wonder what special coins/medals etc. were created 'off the books'...Cheers, RickO

  • Justacommeman
    Justacommeman Posts: 22,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Excessively cool

    mark

    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • Rittenhouse
    Rittenhouse Posts: 677 ✭✭✭✭
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    @RogerB said:
    Much of this was sent to Saul several years ago. A deep=dive research article on manufacture and distribution of early patters and restrikes is in the works, but there is much more work to do before any preliminary conclusions can be made.

    Linderman maintained a collection of US coins and pattern pieces in his Washington DC office. His purpose was to have materials ready for any inquiry from Congress, and to also entertain Members who visited the Treasury building. He considered these his personal property and many of the pieces were offered in the 1887 sale of his Estate coins & medals.

    I'm gradually transcribing files, but with 100,000+ images and photocopies it will take a while. Several collectors are making transcriptions from handwritten materials for me, also.

    Yeah, Saul told me about that some years ago. However, since many of his "reference pieces" were also struck for collectors, I think that was, at least partially, his cover story for what was essentially his "salesman samples" and personal collection.

    Saul comments that the pieces in question may have been used for the trade to get back the two half unions from Woodin.

  • RogerB
    RogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 24, 2016 8:13AM
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    An important consideration is that apparently copper/bronze strikings were distributed without cost. Letters relating to Morgan & Barber 1877 dollar patterns include several requests/fulfillment for copies in copper/bronze but there is no mention of payment. However, when silver examples were requested there was a required payment of either face value or, as with the Metric sets, for the bullion value - always in gold. (The Metric coins and Hubbell's antics are covered in an upcoming issue of JNR.)

  • ShadyDave
    ShadyDave Posts: 2,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    interesting. Thanks for always sharing these pieces of info with us!!

  • golden
    golden Posts: 10,535 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    So cool!

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