The Also Ran (Barber dollar)

boiler78 · January 26, 2006 4:06AM

I just wanted to share a recent addition to my pattern collection (thanks to Rick Kay

). Everyone is familiar with the Morgan dollar but how about the rejected design? Here was Barbers entry in the design competition. What do you think? If the competition was held today and you were on the committee would you pick this design over Morgans?

mozeppa · January 26, 2006 4:07AM

i like it!

jayboxx · January 26, 2006 4:08AM

That is an incredible pattern. I like what was chosen better though.

JRocco · January 26, 2006 4:08AM

Obverse works for me, but the reverse would not be my first choice.

ColonialCoinUnion · January 26, 2006 4:08AM

Liberty looks like a heavy-set sailor, the Eagle's torso seems to be twisted and there is something very disturbing about e pluribus unum being written in that font.

Otherwise I like it.

JRocco · January 26, 2006 4:15AM

The arrows and leaves on the reverse should be in the field, not in the feathers.

Russ · January 26, 2006 4:19AM

I like it better than the Morgan, but that may be a function of seeing 10 billion Morgans. If I'd never seen either, I'm not sure which I'd pick.

Russ, NCNE

XpipedreamR · January 26, 2006 4:29AM

<< <i>I like it better than the Morgan, but that may be a function of seeing 10 billion Morgans. If I'd never seen either, I'm not sure which I'd pick.

Russ, NCNE >>

Now don't lie, Russ. They only issued 10 billion for 80S and 81S, and I'm quite sure you haven't seen them all

F117ASR · January 26, 2006 4:30AM

I like the font for the E. Pluribus Unum. The whole pattern is fantastic. Awesome buy Boiler. As you keep posting patterns I add them to my digital library. So far I have quite a few nice pieces in there.

BlindedByEgo · January 26, 2006 4:31AM

I like everthing about it - the relief, the strike, the toning - it's a gorgeous coin!

I think I'm gonna get into patterns while they are still reasonably priced (at least relative to their rarity).

hiyosilver · January 26, 2006 4:36AM

Damn!! That`s a beauty....

mgoodm3 · January 26, 2006 4:41AM

I like it, esp the obv.

RTS · January 26, 2006 4:41AM

I like it very much.

OKbustchaser · January 26, 2006 4:44AM

No contest...the pattern.

Of course, anything would win over the Morgan design--IMO, easily the ugliest coin design ever produced by the U.S. mint.

poorguy · January 26, 2006 4:53AM

I actually don't think this design would have produced great looking coins. While the proofs look good because, well they are made to be fully struck and sharp, the business strikes would most likely not look as nice. Judging from the areas of highest relief on both sides, this design combination would have resulted in very mushy detail on key areas of the coin. Even on the pattern presented in this thread has some moderate weakness on the high points, which occur in the same central portions of the coin on each side. If this design would have been chosen over George T. Morgan's obverse, it would without a doubt have had it's relief modified and would not be nearly as attractive as the coin presented in this thread. Compare the 1921 high relief Peace dollar and St. Gaudens pieces to their low relief counterparts.

boiler78 · January 26, 2006 9:05AM

Excellent observations Brandon. I agree that the relief might have presented manufacturing problems but I believe the decision to use the Morgan design was more political than production oriented.

Mint director Henry Linderman imported George Morgan from England in part because of his growing dissatisfaction with the Barbers so the outcome was probably never really in doubt.

Still a cool design and very similar to the obverse used on the Half Unions.

Coinhusker1 · January 26, 2006 9:43AM

I like the Morgan Dollar a little better.

At least THIS Barber design looks like a woman!! They should have used it on the half, quarter, and dime.

Hoot · January 26, 2006 10:12AM

<< <i>Mint director Henry Linderman imported George Morgan from England in part because of his growing dissatisfaction with the Barbers so the outcome was probably never really in doubt. >>

Although this is true, Linderman's dissatisfaction with the Barbers was as much over their practice of a private medallic minting business within the walls of the Philadelphia Mint, inasmuch as anything else. Linderman no doubt also recognized the waning productivity in Wm. Barber's work due to age. Linderman's "import" of Morgan proved seminal in getting Charles Barber into high gear, but only after threat to replace Wm. Barber with Morgan was made evident by not appointing his son (Charles) immediately following his father's death. Morgan, it would unfortunately appear, was used as much in politics as he was employed for his skills. Charles Barber would succeed Wm. Barber 5 months following Wm.'s death, primarily due to seniority (but likely also due to his familiarity with Mint operations and politics) - thus it was inevitable given the circumstances of the time.

Beyond a doubt, Morgan caused Charles Barber to improve his skills. That's evident from the patterns that Barber created that so closely resemble Morgan's (rather repetative) images of Liberty. In that vein, I like the obverse of the patten that you show quite a bit, but no more so than Morgan's, which is more unique. It shows elements of Morgan's face of Liberty and the hair of Longacre's Liberty head. The reverse is basically a copy of his father's standing eagle, just a little dumpier.

Superb piece.

Hoot

LeeG · January 26, 2006 10:22AM

Awesome coin boiler! Morgan's are just ho hum.

LindeDad · January 26, 2006 10:26AM

Nice coin but that Eagle looks like a turkey to me.
I would not of voted for it either. And I don't even collect Morgans.

busco69 · January 26, 2006 10:30AM

That design is realy cool I like it.

Russ · January 26, 2006 10:35AM

This thread is excellent brain food.

Russ, NCNE

66Tbird · January 26, 2006 10:47AM

Very nice

Sunnywood · January 26, 2006 10:53AM

At the risk of being controversial, I will say that I don't think it holds a candle to the adopted Morgan design !!!

However, as a rare and collectible pattern, you've got a very cool coin there !! Congrats on your purchase.

Best,
Sunnywood

The Also Ran (Barber dollar)

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