What did the 1964-D Peace Dollar look like, exactly ? (SEE IT HERE)
dcarr
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Some here may have already seen it, but this thread is for those who have not.
A supposed photo of a genuine original 1964-D Peace Dollar had previously been published in “The Comprehensive U.S. Silver Dollar Encyclopedia” (1992 edition, page 709) by John W. Highfill. The photo caption credited the source as Bob Wilhite of Numismatic News.
However, in late 2019 I obtained from the US Mint an image of an original U.S. Mint coin die for the 1964 Peace Dollar obverse. That photo shows exactly what the original 1964 Peace Dollars would have looked like. Speculation over the years generally contended that Frank Gasparro (or some other US Mint employee in 1964-1965) would have re-sculpted the entire coin and that would result in design differences between the 1964 mintage and the prior issues of 1921-1935 (similar to how the 1921 Morgan Dollar engraving differs from the 1878-1904 issue). After reviewing the newly-obtained US Mint photo of the 1964 Peace Dollar die it is apparent that (except for the “64” of the date) the obverse was NOT re-sculpted. In fact, it is an EXACT match to the previous (most recent) sculpt of 1934-1935.
The 1922-1928 Peace Dollar obverse has a relatively large triangular dot between “GOD” and “WE”, and the diagonal leg of the “R” in TRUST is somewhat curved. For 1934-1935 the dot is smaller and round, and the diagonal leg on the “R” is straighter. It is also apparent that the Bob Wilhite photo is actually of a 1934 coin with the “3” retouched to look like a “6”. The “4” in the date of the Wilhite photo is an exact match for a 1934 coin with the horizontal crossbar of the “4” being about half way up. The US Mint photo of the original die shows the crossbar of the “4” being a little less than half way up. The US Mint photo also shows that the “6” in the date has an upper arc that extends farther to the right than any other published images. It is also apparent that the "64" is a little sharper than the rest of the obverse. This would be consistent with taking an existing somewhat "soft" sculpt and re-cutting the 64.
It appears that there is no corresponding imagery of a 1964 Peace reverse. But based on the fact that the obverse was directly based on the 1934-1935 version, it is reasonable to assume that the 1964 reverse would have also been directly based on the reverse of 1934-1935. Some 1935-S Peace Dollars have an extra 4th ray below “ONE”. Other coins of this period (1934, 1934-D, 1934-S, 1935, and most 1935-S) do not have the 4th ray. It is still unknown if the original 1964 Peace Dollars had the 4th ray or not.
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Comments
I am glad you posted this.
@dcarr ....Thanks for the analysis and pictures Dan....very interesting....In case I should come across a '64D Peace Dollar
I will know what to look for. I am one who believes there are a couple out there...and Russ told me years ago he knew someone that claimed to have one....he said he did not see it, but believed the person. Cheers, RickO
Really cool. I am surprised the mint even has a die to photograph and that they weren’t all destroyed. I, too, wonder if there are a few 64d dollars out there trading in the shadows. Not that I can ever afford one, but I wish the secret service would just let any existing 1933 $20, 1964d $1, and 1974 aluminum 1c coins be freely traded. They can demonetize them (it doesn’t matter) but what’s to be gained at this point by keeping them in the shadows?
Fascinating, thanks for posting
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Thank you for a most interesting post!
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Thanks for sharing your findings!
Thanks for posting this. Once in a while I've wondered if the extra ray on the 35-S dollars was hand engraved. I haven't studied enough of them closely enough to make this determination. Seeing a reverse master die would help clear this up. There are other hand-engraved rays earlier in the series, but they're to fix overpolishing.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Great research, thanks for sharing!
Any chance you could post the photo that was not processed & mirrored?
Now if only someone would strike a fantasy 1964D Peace Dollar for collectors.
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These are the kinds of threads that make this forum so worthy. Makes me almost forget the other threads the devolve into bashing certain states/places or getting upset over not being able to use a gun as a fidget spinner in certain places.
10-4,
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Dan, really, really fantastic post. There has to be more to the story about how you were able to acquire this. Is there no hope for finding a photo of the reverse?
The Philadelphia Mint archives have three 1964 Peace obverse dies and one 1964 Peace obverse hub. Two of the dies have perpendicular shanks, typical of working dies, while the third has a beveled shank that matches the shank on the hub, so I think it may be the Master Die.
Were you able to get pictures of all four?
Edited to add: Does the original picture that you received show the die shank as well?
Great thread!
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Very cool! Thanks for posting!
mbogoman
https://pcgs.com/setregistry/collectors-showcase/classic-issues-colonials-through-1964/zambezi-collection-trade-dollars/7345Asesabi Lutho
I know this has been asked before but I don't remember it ever being addressed,,,,, if The US Mint was to re-issue a 1964-D Peace Dollar Commemorative with the same obverse and reverse design as before what would happen with the Dan Carr Issues? The whole legal issue is based on it being a "Fantasy Date"
Does the Highfill book actually allege that the photo is of an actual coin and not a mock-up?
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Very Cool.
No idea but with this much time elapsing, I think they should do one with a contemporary date. Although I see them possibly doing a special ASE with the design. Not sure why they haven’t thought of that...
The book does not elaborate on the authenticity of the photo. But I was originally informed of the existence of the photo in that book by a couple people who claimed that it was a photo of an actual 1964-D Peace Dollar.
thanks for sharing !!
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This is why I participate in CU. Great info! Peace Roy
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The US Mint is in the process of photographing all their "heritage assets", with the intent of eventually publishing them. I originally got in contact with the US Mint's curator when I was looking for documentation on my "Broken Sword" Peace Dollar bronze casting. I also inquired about any 1964 Peace Dollar items. I knew they had several items relating to 1964 silver dollars. After inquiring several times, they kept sending me images of the 1964 MORGAN tooling. Pictures of those had already been published in Coin World after they were discovered by John Dannreuther. But for some reason, images of the 1964 Peace tooling had never been published. But finally I did get a picture of a 1964 Peace obverse hub and a 1964 Peace obverse die. The US Mint curator informed me that there is no tooling for the 1964 Peace reverse in the US Mint archives.
Here are the original pictures that I obtained, courtesy of the US Mint:
hub:
die:
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Thanks! Those are the two I was referring to as the Hub and the (possible) Master Die.
Notice the (probable) reducing lathe line from roughly the R of LIBERTY to the second T of TRUST on both. This will be a good diagnostic to look for if and when somebody is one day called upon to authenticate an original 1964-D Dollar. Of course, it is always possible that the blemish was removed from subsequent generations of the toolings.
Nice!
Great coin nerd stuff!! Thanks for taking the time to do the research and posting it here.
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Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
If I ever get elected president, I am asking Dan to be my Director of the US Mint. Not that it will ever happen
Great thread!
I agree,,,,, DAN would make coins great again. Can you imagine the possibilities?
If that's the case, I'd vote for you.
Pete
Any idea which engraver cut the 64 into the date? Has anyone ever asked the engravers who were there at the time anything about their recollections at the time? (Including the late Frank Gasparro).
Just wondered. Excellent write up Dan.
Pete
Nice Work @dcarr ...Very Cool and Thank You
I don't see how this could happen as the coin would have a current date, either by itself or with the 1964 date.
That is probably right, wasn't thinking about it that way. It would be nice to get a 2021 Commemorative though.
Or if one of the originals were to surface......
Thanks for posting, very interesting
Seems like I recall a story on here a while back that someone had access to the vault and had photos of these dies. Anyone else recall that post? Nice post @dcarr
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
Fantastic insight into history. Thanks for the information.
Summer of 2016. I got my pictures from a member of the group, but am not at liberty to release them.
I am glad that Dan was able to get these and release them.
interesting read. something learned today for sure
The original thread:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/968464/the-1964-morgan-dollar-discovery/p1
Very cool!
@CaptHenway Thanks, that was the thread I was recalling. Exciting stuff!
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
I just happened to acquire a very good copy that includes these details (almost perfect!) of this infamous coin -- looks something like this:
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Available from a very reputable local mint and coiner here in the USA!
Edited to add: APOLOGIES to Mr. Carr -- I posted the wrong photo here (Die Pair #8 instead of Die Pair #9). Musta been the extra cocktail...
Who is the maker of this counterfeit?
@CaptHenway "Who is the maker of this counterfeit?"
Uhmmm......maybe the OP?
I recently made some "Die Pair 8" and "Die Pair 9" fantasy-date over-strikes on Peace Dollars. Both were based on the US Mint photo. A Die Pair 8 example was shown a couple posts ago. That die pair was rejected due to a lack of engraving clarity.
Here is a Die Pair 9:
@dcarr .... you don't know how much I enjoyed your insight
Mahalo 
What they said
Awesome !
I always thought that I would never EVER see an image of a genuine 64 Peace.
This is a numismatic dream come true for me.
Pete