New Rochelle Half Dollar Specimen Strikes
Zoins
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The following is from the upcoming Legend Regency Auction regarding New Rochelle commemorative half dollar specimen strikes:
During the production run, mint employees struck 50 examples on specially polished planchets after polishing the dies. Unlike full Proof strikings, these received only one blow from the dies.
How much do we know about these strikes? Is there any Mint documentation for these? Are all of them accounted for? Is there a list of the original recipients?
The PCGS pop report only has New Rochelle commems for specimens and has 23 currently.
NGC doesn't have a Specimen category but it does have a Prooflike category with 193 specimens.
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Comments
No one knows about or is interested in these coins?
I like these coins and they can be very convincing. What I don't know, and what may or may not be knowable, is how to differentiate between a true "Specimen" and the most PL regular strikes. I'd be very curious to hear opinions on that.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
Here's a thread with good info on these with discussion from @MFeld, @BillJones and RogerB.
https://www.ngccoin.com/boards/topic/273648-what-is-a-quotspecimenquot-strike-new-rochelle/#comments
I always just considered them struck from regular production freshly polished dies and due to the price difference never paid them much attention. There's still a lot of hearsay within the series on these and other early commemorative proofs.
I have one of the New Rochelle half dollars graded by NGC PL65. It is shown below. I have seen photos of the specimens graded by NGC and it is difficult to tell the difference. I sure don't see any. Maybe the NGC and PCGS can't tell the differance either and unless you have documentation you won't get the SP designation
Overland Trail Collection Showcase
Dahlonega Type Set-2008 PCGS Best Exhibited Set
sorry, wrong place.
Not a great first post.
Beautiful coin @mrcommem ! It looks very clean. Thanks for sharing it
Anyone ever see or have a photo of the red presentation box and velvet liner.
Sweet! What a nice box! Thanks for the photo @kauwisc !
I'm kind of surprised that of all the commemorative coins we have, only a single one had the involvement of a coin club. What great coins and what a great legacy for the club!
That's awesome @78saen !
Those boxes look to be in great condition as well.
How many of those medals with the half dollar's original design are there? How much do they go for?
The only comment about "special" coins in the book "One Fatt Calfe," being an account of the New Rochelle Half-Dollar and of the Celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the Founding & Settlement of the City of New Rochelle, NY. by Amy C. Skipton (wife of Coin Committe Chairman Pitt Skipton). Published by the New Rochelle Commemorative Coin Committee, 1939, p. 26., is this one:
"On Monday, January 17, 1938, a meeting called by Mr. Skipton was held in the Board Room of the First National Bank with all members except Messrs. Watson, Lester and Hadaway present. Mr. Skipton briefly outlined the purpose of the meeting, explaining that the New Rochelle Commemorative Coin Committee appointed by the Mayor had been in existence since the passage of the bill authorizing the issue of a New Rochelle half dollar had been obtained by Mr. Skipton as a Committee of One appointed by the Westchester County Coin Club; that a well known sculptor (Miss Gertrude K. Lathrop of Albany, N.Y) had been employed to design such a coin; that special hubs and dies had been made and 25,000 pieces received from the Mint**. . .**