OMG I can't stop drooling... now that's a sweet Broadstrike error
Broadstruck
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I bought a full set of ANR catalogs a few weeks ago as I'm missing a bunch... just saw this! 
1861 pattern double eagle. J-288, P-346. Rarity-8. MS-62 (NGC).
Copper, gilt. Reeded edge. Bright and lustrous yellow gold with deep honey highlights on satiny, matte-like surfaces. A natural planchet flaw, as struck, can be seen at 1:00 on the obverse rim, with another such flaw attached to the second obverse star. Struck from the regular dies of the date used to coin circulating double eagles. At the uspatterns.com website, Saul Teichman notes that "Dr. Judd and/or Walter Breen believed this to be an experimental piece using ideas from Dr. J.T. Barclay to prevent counterfeiting. The coin is very convex which would have made it more difficult for unscrupulous types to drill out the gold and replace it with a less valuable metal." Of course, that may have been so much conjecture by Judd and Breen, though we will never know for certain.
The present specimen is the plate coin in the latest eighth edition of United States Pattern Coins Experimental and Trial Pieces originally by J. Hewitt Judd, with the most recent edition edited by Q. David Bowers. The coin itself was probably best described by Dave Bowers in his former firm's sale of the Abe Kosoff Estate in November 1985 (Lot 1045), where the description read "Proof-60 or finer, with matte surfaces. The Judd plate coin [seventh edition], illustrated on page 68 of United States Pattern Experimental and Trial Pieces. One of just two known to exist, and possibly the only one with a gilt surface. Again, refer to the Judd reference. The issue is a striking of the regular 1861 double eagle dies, but on a broad planchet. The piece is somewhat dished, with the obverse rim dishing upward, culminating in a reeded edge, indicating that indeed a collar of some type was used (in contrast, the Judd description which says the opposite). The reverse has an edge beveled downward; it could have been that the piece was struck once in a retaining collar, at which time the edge reeding was acquired, and then was struck again without the collar, thus preserving the reeding but broadening the diameter."
A beautiful prize to behold, and an issue that is so rare that many collectors may go a lifetime without actually seeing one (for instance the present writer, FVV, is greatly pleased at finally having encountered this rarity). A spectacular item, and a coin that will see serious bidding activity before the final sound of the hammer sends this rarity home with a new, appreciative owner.
NGC Census: 1; no other in any grade.
From New York Coin & Stamp Company's sale of the George Woodside Collection, 1891; William Woodin Collection; Sotheby's sale of the Palac Collections of Egypt (King Farouk); February 1954; J. Hewitt Judd Collection; Abe Kosoff Collection; Bowers and Merena's sale of the Abe Kosoff Estate, November 1985, Lot 1045.
1861 pattern double eagle. J-288, P-346. Rarity-8. MS-62 (NGC).
Copper, gilt. Reeded edge. Bright and lustrous yellow gold with deep honey highlights on satiny, matte-like surfaces. A natural planchet flaw, as struck, can be seen at 1:00 on the obverse rim, with another such flaw attached to the second obverse star. Struck from the regular dies of the date used to coin circulating double eagles. At the uspatterns.com website, Saul Teichman notes that "Dr. Judd and/or Walter Breen believed this to be an experimental piece using ideas from Dr. J.T. Barclay to prevent counterfeiting. The coin is very convex which would have made it more difficult for unscrupulous types to drill out the gold and replace it with a less valuable metal." Of course, that may have been so much conjecture by Judd and Breen, though we will never know for certain.
The present specimen is the plate coin in the latest eighth edition of United States Pattern Coins Experimental and Trial Pieces originally by J. Hewitt Judd, with the most recent edition edited by Q. David Bowers. The coin itself was probably best described by Dave Bowers in his former firm's sale of the Abe Kosoff Estate in November 1985 (Lot 1045), where the description read "Proof-60 or finer, with matte surfaces. The Judd plate coin [seventh edition], illustrated on page 68 of United States Pattern Experimental and Trial Pieces. One of just two known to exist, and possibly the only one with a gilt surface. Again, refer to the Judd reference. The issue is a striking of the regular 1861 double eagle dies, but on a broad planchet. The piece is somewhat dished, with the obverse rim dishing upward, culminating in a reeded edge, indicating that indeed a collar of some type was used (in contrast, the Judd description which says the opposite). The reverse has an edge beveled downward; it could have been that the piece was struck once in a retaining collar, at which time the edge reeding was acquired, and then was struck again without the collar, thus preserving the reeding but broadening the diameter."
A beautiful prize to behold, and an issue that is so rare that many collectors may go a lifetime without actually seeing one (for instance the present writer, FVV, is greatly pleased at finally having encountered this rarity). A spectacular item, and a coin that will see serious bidding activity before the final sound of the hammer sends this rarity home with a new, appreciative owner.
NGC Census: 1; no other in any grade.
From New York Coin & Stamp Company's sale of the George Woodside Collection, 1891; William Woodin Collection; Sotheby's sale of the Palac Collections of Egypt (King Farouk); February 1954; J. Hewitt Judd Collection; Abe Kosoff Collection; Bowers and Merena's sale of the Abe Kosoff Estate, November 1985, Lot 1045.
To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
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Thank you for sharing, she is amazing!
I never knew one existed until now. Thanks for sharing.
What a fascinating item! It must look extra neat in-hand.
www.brunkauctions.com
Did the Mint us a silver dollar collar for it ?
<< <i>What is the diameter ?
Did the Mint us a silver dollar collar for it ? >>
Not sure about the actual diameter, a silver dollar collar was not used it's a strike error... here's more info from USPatterns.com
The famous 1861 regular dies trial piece struck in copper without a collar. Pollock noted that the coin has a reeded edge, not a beveled edge as mentioned in the first 7 editions of Judd.
Dr. Judd and/or Walter Breen believed this to be an experimental piece using ideas from Dr. J.T. Barclay to prevent counterfeiting. The coin is very concave which would have made it more difficult for unscrupulous types to drill out the gold and replace it with a less valuable metal.
A collector, Greg B., wrote us about the possibility that this piece may actually be a misstruck example of J289/P347. We quote him below.
"The coin, in my opinion, has been double struck: the first strike was on center, and in the collar. This would account for the perfect and normal reeding. The second strike was a broadstrike, without the collar. This would account not only for the beveled edge, but also for the spread design as seen in the pictures."
Greg also sent us an image of a 1964 Great Britain two shilling piece which was struck as described above and it does have a similar appearance to the double eagle trial.
Pattern author and researcher Roger Burdette, however, found in the National Archives (NARA-CP RG104 Entry 229 Box 3) the following document entitled "List of Pattern, Trial and Experimental Coins Struck in the United States at Philadelphia from 1792 to 1885". Accompanying this listing is a letter written on July 6, 1887 by the Director of the Mint, James P. Kimball and the Mint Superintendent Daniel M Fox to R. A. McClure, Curator of the Cabinet. This listing describes this very piece as "1861. Double Eagle. device same as the regular issue. Obv. Concave, edge bevelled." This listing seems to verify that this is in fact an experimental piece unless it is referring to J190/P3158 instead.
Only one or two are known including the illustrated piece which is ex Woodside, Woodin, Farouk, Judd, Kosoff 2/70, Bowers and Merena 11/85, Heritage 2/86, Superior 9/86, Superior 2/92, ANR 7/05. A second is mentioned as being in the Connecticut State Library; but, if it is there, then I missed it during my visit.
Photo courtesy of American Numismatic Rarities.
Just wondering...
Jonathan
<< <i>Nice. Now where, exactly, is the error? From what I read, it was supposed to be struck that way. Is the planchet flaw the error?
Just wondering...
Jonathan >>
It's a huge centered broadstrike like this 1964 25c example.
Whatever! I want it!
The name is LEE!
That's amazing!!!!
Stefanie
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
The pattern list of 1885 is tantalizingly vague, but I agree that the coin was probably one of many experiments made at the Philadelphia Mint utilizing Barclay’s ideas. I've been researching an article on Barclay and his experiments for several years, but it is not finished. Barclay was more crack-pot than innovator. He pestered Congress and the Mint for decades (via the Virginia delegation) and wasted thousands of dollars before he was finally given the boot. Barclay demanded Congress pay him $100,000 for his “expertise.”
James Turner Barclay was a pharmacist practicing in central Virginia, mostly around Charlottesville. He owned Thomas Jefferson's Monticello from about 1830-1834. Although brought up in the Presbyterian church, he parted with them when he was refused a call as a missionary in China. He then joined the fledgling disciples of Christ movement and was a leading exponent of their version of Christianity. He was a self-appointed "doctor of theology."
What calls to question the 1861 piece, is that Barclay was in Jerusalem and Syria fishing for converts and having divine visions from about 1858 to 1865, although I think there were interruptions in his travels.
Other mint charlatans include:
William Wheeler Hubbell whose “Goloid” gold and silver alloy looked like silver. He wanted $1 for every $10,000 coined with his “patented” alloy.
Dana Bickford. International gold coinage. He wanted a fee.
Eastman Johnson. Coins with holes. He wanted a fee for use of his “patent.”
There are more, but this will give you a flavor for Barclay’s kind of company.
Still very cool though!
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso