Die destruction lists available - Free. Now available on Newman Numismatic Portal (NNP)
RogerB
Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
As promised a few days ago, I've assembled all the US Mint die destruction/use lists in my database. These were collected in the course of other research, but with no intent to be comprehensive or thorough. It is certain that many other such documents exist. There are also die lists from the 1950s in NARA Philadelphia but they are not included here. Plus many Numismatic Scrapbook articles by Bob Julian include die use information.
Nearly all of the files are "raw" - meaning in their original format. A few have been transcribed and where available these accompany the raw images.
To get a free copy you must provide either a ftp (file transfer protocol) site link with the capability of handling large files, a mailing address where I can send a DVD, or send me a clean USB drive onto which I can copy the files. (All USB drives will be wiped and formatted before files are loaded.)
Below is a list of all files available. The first 8 digits are the year-month-day on the document. All files are in Adobe Acrobat format. Send a private message if you want a copy.
Comments
Any more takers?
Very nice gesture for you to offer your time and research to others.
I wish it were more complete -- but I did not deliberately save most of these.
I am interested. Can I get all or do I need to specify which ones.
You can get all. Also, I uploaded the complete folder to NNP and it should be available in a day or two. You can then review the files and copy only the ones you want.
Just saw your PM. Will mail DVD today (Friday).
On NNP at https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/archivedetail/531777. Many thanks to Roger.
Nice that NNP put this on the site. It is a collection rather than a specific document. As others come to light I expect NNP will add them. (Reminder - When others add documents, please include the NARA or other archive location ID so the original can be found.)
All DVDs and uploads have been completed and mailed.
This is the first time we've posted a large group of NARA documents not directly cataloged by the record group & entry number. But I thought the "value add" more than justified it. Also, all individual documents are watermarked with the NARA source info.
RE: "...all individual documents are watermarked with the NARA source info."
This is an important step. This number or code allows the original to be located within the vast government and private archives. It's very easy to do in Adobe Acrobat; open the document and add a header or footer with the source information. In Photoshop, use the Text Tool to add and place information.
[If using a watermark, keep the program code away from your computer until it is thoroughly dry.]
Would really like any die summary available for '50 -'64 proofs as well as Eisenhower Dollar die summary.
Limited die information from the 1950s proofs and Ike dollars is in NARA at Philadelphia. Here are some NARA entries relating to dies. Relevant material might also be "hidden" in project files such as the Eisenhower dollar project files in NARA at College Park, MD
All are RG104 - U S Mint
666 Dies Destroyed, Retained & Number of Pieces Struck 1956-December 31, 1961, Philadelphia Mint 6 in.
Lists of Dies (domestic and foreign) destroyed and retained by the Mint in Philadelphia. The lists cover a three month period. The lists specify the quantities of each die, obverse and reverse, and their denominations. Arranged in reverse chronological order.
G-12-09-03-1 to G-12-09-03-2 Boxes 125-126
674 Coinage Dies Manufactured for Denver 1958-1959, 1965 2 in.
Correspondence, forms, and Bills of Lading for the manufacture of coinage dies by the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia to be shipped to the Mint in Denver. The Bills of Lading (Form 1103A) detail the form of transportation for the shipment, date, number of packages, kind of packages, description of articles, and weight of the packages. Arranged in reverse chronological order.
G-12-09-04-2 Box 132-133
681 Dies Destroyed, Retained & Number of Pieces Struck 1956-December 31, 1961 Denver Mint .5 in.
Lists of Dies destroyed and retained by the Denver Mint sent to Philadelphia. The lists cover a three month period. Each list states the number of dies used, average pieces struck by dies and total number of pieces stamped. Arranged in reverse chronological order.
G-12-09-05-1 Box 136
746 Hubs & Dies 1936-1937 .5 in.
Correspondence pertaining to the striking, shipping, destruction of, and manufacture of hubs and dies by the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia. Arranged in reverse chronological order.
G-12-10-06-1 Box 200
(Have examined this - general shipping information; does not list dies.)
This stuff is pure gold, Roger. All the Barber silver in 1900 and 1901 have documented minor changes to obverse and/or reverse design, and here we have evidence of complaints of die life coming from SF and a rebuttal from Barber in early 1900. The 1901 dimes saw a mix of reverse types across all mints (traditionally thin and thick ribbons) and then this continued during 1902-1905 only in SF. The hint of "we can do this better" coming from SF might be a clue as to why SF continued to have "thin ribbon" "old reverse" dimes 1902-1905 when the other mints did not. There might be clues about why the quarter and half also changed. I find this stuff fascinating.
https://archive.org/details/19000104SFdies
https://archive.org/details/19000104SFlifeofdies
https://archive.org/details/19000116PltrSFdies
(There's also that bit about the drunk employee... )
It was common for usable and unused reverse dies from one year to be used the next year, or until they failed. This explains the SF conundrum mentioned above. The Engraving Department records would show which numbered dies were sent to each mint and when they were retired/defaced....But -- nearly all of those records are lost.
RE: "This stuff is pure gold,"
Thanks! Glad to hear it's useful. Be sure to thank NNP for hosting this collection of data.