Whew. I just got back from California. Started driving Sunday around 11 AM and got back this evening at 5:30 PM. Drove straight through there, picked up the goods, and drove straight through back. 3500+ miles in 50 hours. I've been up for a total of over 60 hours straight now. I've just reviewed all of the PM's I got while on the trip so check those PMs if I sent you one back. The contest closes tomorrow at midnight and I'll announce the victors on Christmas day. I've decided to give EVERYONE who answers all of the questions correct 2 free coin images. So, it doesn't matter if you come in first, you'll still get something for your efforts. Trust me, you'll have fun looking up the answers and I guarantee that you'll learn something and hopefully have fun doing it!
An additional answer sheet you SHOULD take a look at was submitted by Iosephus. He did an incredible job with research and presentation. You can also see images of ALL of the famous coins featured in this quiz. I'm kind of embarassed that he did a better job on the answers than I did! haha! I give credit where credit is due so click here to view his PDF of the answers! Iosephus Answers! - PDF
Which Early U.S. Commemorative has five different dates on the coin yet none are the year it was actually produced? Norfolk Commemorative
a. What year was it actually produced? 1937 b. What are the five dates? 1636, 1736, 1682, 1936, 1845.
The Norfolk, Virginia Bicentennial Commemorative was issued to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the land grant for Norfolk, Virginia and the 200th anniversary of the establishment of Norfolk as a borough.
The designers of the coins were William Marks Simpson and Marjorie Emory Simpson. The obverse shows the Norfolk city seal. It shows a ship, with a plow below. On the plow are young peanut plants. Below the plow is three wheat sheaves. There are two mottos on the coin, ET TERRA ET MARE DIVITIAE TUAE and CRESCAS meaning "Both land and sea are your riches" and "May you prosper". On the reverse is Norfolk's Royal Mace. It was presented to the Borough of Norfolk in 1753. It is the only Royal Mace ever presented to an American city during Colonial times. On each side of the date are dogwood sprigs.
The Norfolk Advertising Board, Inc. tried to have a coin bill passed but could only get a medal. They realized that there would be no interest in a medal and did not have any struck. They tried again and succeeded in having Congress authorize no more than 25,000 coins minted. 25,013 coins were struck, 13 for assay. They were distributed by the Norfolk Advertising Board. 5,000 were melted in 1938, and 3,077 were melted at a later date.
The coins originally sold for $1.65 each, and $1.55 for each additional piece, no more than 20 per person. The original packaging was cardboard holders. They were light green in color and had imprinted covers. On the reverse of the holder was the poem Norfolk-Virginia by Charles Day.
The Class II 1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollar was struck over which foreign coin used as a planchet for the strike? (Date, Country, and Design) 1857 Swiss Shooting Thaler
c. What was the edge design that immediately caught the attention of collectors? Plain
d. Where does the coin now reside? National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.
Between 1858 and 1860, a small number of 1804 silver dollars were illegally struck by an employee of the Mint named Theodore Eckfeldt, and sold to coin collectors through a store in Philadelphia. Two parts of the minting process were improvised by Eckfeldt, striking the 1804 dies into another coin, and using a different but similar reverse die having the lettering and clouds positioned slightly differently than the Class I and Class III specimens.[1] The number of coins minted is believed to be between ten and fifteen, struck with two separate coin dies, known to numismatists as "Class II." The illegally minted coins were hunted down and seized by officials of the Mint. Today, only one Class II coin exists, residing at the Smithsonian Institution. It is alleged that it has been struck over a modified Swiss Shooting Thaler dated 1857.
Which U.S. coin was the first to break the $100,000 barrier? 1913 Liberty Nickel Hawaii Five-O Olsen specimen.
b. What year did this occur? 1972
While the Eliasberg specimen is the best preserved of the five coins, the Olsen specimen is almost certainly the most famous. It has been graded Proof-64 by both PCGS and NGC, making it one of only two Proofs (the Eliasberg specimen being the other). The Olsen specimen was featured on an episode of Hawaii Five-O (The $100,000 Nickel, aired on December 11, 1973). It was also briefly owned by Egyptian King Farouk.
When Newman and Johnson broke up the set of five coins, the Olsen specimen was sold first to James Kelly and then to Fred Olson. The latter collector sold the coin to Farouk, but his name has remained attached to it in numismatic circles ever since. In 1972, it was sold to World Wide Coin Investments for $100,000, thus inspiring its title appearance in Hawaii Five-O the following year. The coin's price had doubled, to $200,000, when it was resold to Superior Galleries in 1978. It has been resold on several occasions since then, most recently fetching $3,000,000 in June 2004. The current owner's name has not been disclosed.
What was the original mintage of 1933 dated double eagles? 445,000
d. What date range (month/day/year through month/day/year) were they produced? 03/15/33-05/19/33.
e. What year were the majority of them destroyed? 1937
f. In 1944 which specimen was seized by the U.S. Treasury? Flanagan Specimen.
Brothers Joseph and Morton Stack had started their coin auction business in 1935 and, in less than a decade, had become one of the pre-eminent firms in the nation. The sale of the Flanagan collection was to be their greatest ever, and the advertisement they placed in the February 1944, Numismatist, proudly noted that: "we expect this sale to realize the world's record to total amount of dollars!"
Kehr noticed the last lot of the sale, lot 1681, which was described as "the excessively rare 1933 double eagle." A curious man and careful researcher, he must have wondered why it was so rare. He directed a simple question directly to the United States Mint: How many 1933 Double Eagles were released? An equally simple reply was given: None.
The Acting Director of the Mint, Dr. Leland Howard, as he recalled in the March 30, 1944 memo to the Chief of the United States Secret Service, had received the "routine inquiry," and upon personally checking, "discovered that none were ever legally paid out by the Mint." Alarmed, Howard immediately contacted Secret Service Chief Frank B. Wilson, and advised him that, "the coin was for sale in New York and others were reported to be in collections there."
Although it was the Stack's advertisement for the Colonel Flanagan auction that ultimately initiated the Secret Service investigation, curiously, it was not the first public offering of a 1933 Double Eagle. Three years earlier, the Chicago firm of Smith & Son had taken an advertisement in the February, 1941 issue of the Numismatist. It read: "1933 $20.00. Uncirculated, the rarest of all Double Eagles with the exception of the 1849; only three pieces known at the present time. Price on application to interested buyers." Had the Secret Service been aware of that offering, who knows how history might have changed? – Stacks
In 1892 which gold-plated brass famous gold coin was offered for sale in the Woodside Collection? 1849 DE.
d. Which design flaw was the primary reason for the minimal (handful) production late in the year in this, the inaugural year of it’s design? The relief was too high.
e. Who designed the coin? James B. Longacre
f. Where does the only known example of this coin reside today? National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.
Walter Breen has conjectured that on December 22, 1849, two or three gold impressions are believed to have been made of the 1849 Double Eagle. One went to the Mint Cabinet, this being the only specimen known today. Another is said to have been made for Secretary of the Treasury William M. Meredith. However, this does not explain the Mint Cabinet piece being from a corrected die with lower relief.
Concerning the Meredith example, facts are scarce, but it is said that is passed from the Meredith estate to Philadelphia dealer William K. Nagy, who was active from the turn of the century onward and who was the business partner of the old-time dealer John W. Haseltine, then in his waning years. In the 1950's, Nagy discussed the coin with Breen and Stated that it had been placed in a private collection. Breen remarked that this must have been the Meredith coin, and Nagy was astonished that Breen knew its pedigree.
After Augustus St. Gaudens became ill, who executed the plaster model for the Ultra High Relief Double Eagle? Henry Hering.
d. What mint official opposed the design? Why? Charles Barber. Impracticality of the multiple strikes needed to fully impress the design onto the coin.
e. How many strikes did the first example take to show the full detail of the coin? Nine.
f. How much pressure was used on each strike? 172 Tons.
Which coin of the well-known Barber Head type of any denomination is by far the rarest? 1894-S Dime
c. What was one supposedly spent on? Ice Cream
d. By whom (first and last name)? Hallie Daggett.
John Daggett had 24 1894-S dimes struck at the special request of banker friends. Three of these were given to his young daughter Hallie. Although John instructed her to take special care not to lose or spend them because they would be valuable some day. She spend one on a bowl of ice cream and kept the other two until 1954. Although this story has never been verified, it will forever enchant this fabulous numismatic rarity.
Gold plated and passed off as $5 gold coins before the design was altered to stop scammers, these were unaffectionately called “__________ ________”. Racketeer Nickel
b. What was added to the design to stop scammers? Cents
In 1883 the Mint issued a new 5c coin with the head of Liberty and a Roman "V" meaning "5" on the reverse. Many people thought that the coin was an error since in didn't have "cents" anywhere on the coin.
The lack of the word cents created an opportunity for the unscrupulous. The coins were gold plated and reeds were cut into the edge by hand (nickels have a plain edge) and they were passed off as $5 gold coins.
The most famous criminal case about altered 5 cent coins involved a deaf mute named Josh Tatum. He would go to cigar stands and purchase a 5c cigar and pay with a gold plated, hand reeded nickel. The attendant would assume that it was a $5 gold piece and give Josh $4.95 change. He was acquitted since he never said that the coin was $5, he couldn't. The Mint had learned its lesson and the following year put the word "cents" at the bottom of the reverse.
Some of these "Racketeer" nickels survive today and are interesting to collectors. Over the last century, there are many nickels that have been gilt and passed off as the "real" thing so beware of "copies". Its not easy to ascertain whether you have a "genuine" racketeer nickel as they are all altered coins tampered with outside the Mint. Generally, the ones used in 1883 have some or all of the gilt rubbed off and have a very carefully reeded edge. – Coinsite.com
Which half eagle had a mintage of well over 15,000 yet only three examples survive today? 1822
d. Why are they believed to be so scarce? They were melted.
e. What economic change prompted this? Gold/Silver ratio was 1/18 instead of 1/15 making the $5 gold coins worth $6.
f. Who designed it? John Reich.
In a public assay in Paris in 1831, 40,000 U.S. half eagles of “recent mintage” were destroyed. Only a few examples escaped into circulation before the entire remainder of the mintage was destroyed. The extreme rarity of the 1822 half eagle stems from the ever-changing relationship of the price of gold relative to that of silver. In 1792, the year the U.S. Mint was established, the ratio of gold to silver was 1/15. At this ratio, the half eagle contained enough gold for it to be equal in value to five silver dollars. By the time 1820 rolled around the price of silver had declined due to over-production in both Mexico and in South American mines. This skewed the ratio to 1/18 making the $5 gold piece worth six silver dollars. As a result, the vast majority of gold coins were pulled from circulation and melted down.
Which U.S. coin was legal tender in the U.S. only for a short period of time and only for debts up to $5.00? Trade Dollars
The coinage law of 1873 authorized the unlimited coinage of a silver coin, known as the "trade dollar," which it was supposed might be used as a substitute for the Mexican dollar in our trade with the Orient. It was legal tender in the United States only to the amount of $5. It contained 420 grains of standard silver, and so was slightly heavier than the standard silver dollar (412 1/2 grains), and was worth a trifle more than the gold dollar. Owing, however, to the decline in the gold price of silver, it became profitable to convert silver bullion into these trade dollars. In 1876 they were deprived of their legal tender quality and their coinage was restricted. In 1878 further coinage was prohibited except for "proof pieces," and in 1887 provision was made for the redemption of the outstanding coins at par in standard silver dollars or subsidiary silver. The total issue of trade dollars was $35,965,924, of which $7,689,036 were presented for redemption. -John Thom Holdsworth
Which pattern U.S. design set is: 1. Unique (only one set ever produced). 2. The only set of gold patterns produced with a common theme. 3. Includes the ONLY three dollar pattern ever struck in gold.
Amazonian Gold Pattern Set.
This unique six-piece set consists of the following: • Gold Dollar PR 67 (Judd-1224, Pollock-1366); • Quarter Eagle PR 66 (Judd-1230, Pollock-1372); • Three Dollar PR 67 (Judd-1235, Pollock-1377); • Half Eagle PR 66 (Judd-1240, Pollock-1382); • Eagle PR 66 (Judd-1245, Pollock-1387), and • Double Eagle PR 65 (Judd-1250, Pollock-1392).
Which famous coin was mainly produced in a pewter-like alloy because America was unable to secure a loan from the French government for silver? 1776 Continental Dollar
In 1776 American patriotism was full force and the desire for a monetary exchange that was more “solid” than the paper continental currencies circulating around the colonies. Elisha Gallaudet, a New Jersey engraver prepared dies with suggestions from Benjamin Franklin and the design already in use on the paper continental currencies. However, the supply of precious metals was completely dependent on foreign reserves and America was unable to get silver from France. So, they struck the majority in a pewter-like metal which may not have had intrinsic value but was at least metal as opposed to the thin paper currencies used at the time.
Augustus St. Gaudens’ Victory wearing an Indian headdress was used on the 1907 $10 gold piece instead of the much smaller denomination it was originally intended for. What design was used on that smaller denomination and can still be found in our pocket change today? Lincoln Cent.
St. Gaudens was commissioned by Theodore Roosevelt in 1905 to redesign all denominations of coins, including the cent. St. Gaudens initially wanted a flying eagle design similar to the 1856 Flying Eagle cent but was eventually abandoned in favor of Victory in profile wearing an Indian headdress. Both Roosevelt and St. Gaudens liked this design so much that it was decided that it be used on the new 1907 $10 Eagle instead of the cent. Sadly, shortly after, St. Gaudens died of cancer before any more progress was done on the designs. It wasn’t until 1909 that Victor David Brenner created the bust of Lincoln that adorns the cent to this day.
Which coin was criticized for the following reasons by early Americans? 4. The eyes of Liberty appeared to convey fear. 5. The reverse seemed to represent the bondage slavery to some and the tyranny of Britain to others. 6. The quality of the engraving was poor.
The Chain Cent. Come on, this one was easy. Just look at it! Henry Voigt’s chain cent design was derided by the public because of it’s poor engraving quality but that wasn’t the extent of the public’s disapproval. Liberty’s eyes seemed to convey a sense of fear instead of peace and strength. The reverse was seen by the public as representing Britain’s bondage from which the colonists were recently freed. Still, others viewed the chains as representing slavery which was adopted in some parts of the new world but reviled in others.
What was the name of the deposit of Silver that started a U.S. mint in Nevada? Comstock Lode
b. Name the mint the mintmark that was used on coins that were made there. Carson City, CC.
Carson City Mint was a branch of the United States Mint in Carson City, Nevada. Built at the peak of the silver boom, 57 issues of silver coins minted here between 1870 and 1893 bore the "CC" mint mark. The mint was established in Carson City to facilitate minting of silver coins from silver in the Comstock Lode, somewhat like how the San Francisco Mint was established to facilitate minting gold coins from the gold of the California gold rush. From 1895 to 1933, the building served as the U.S. Assay Office for gold and silver. The Federal Government sold the building to the state of Nevada in 1939.
The building that housed the mint was the first designed by Alfred B. Mullett after he became Supervising Architect of the Department of the Treasury. The simple Renaissance Revival style stone facade has pairs of round-headed windows and a center portico. Today, it is the home of the Nevada State Museum.
The Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. deposit of silver ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City, Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt. Davidson, a peak in the Virginia range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims. Mining camps soon thrived in the vicinity, which became bustling centers of fabulous wealth.
The excavations were carried to depths of more than 3200 feet (1000 m). Between 1859 and 1878, it yielded about $400 million in silver and gold.
It is notable not just for the immense fortunes it generated and the large role those fortunes had in the growth of Nevada and San Francisco, but also for the advances in mining technology that it spurred. The mines declined after 1874. – wikipedia.
Usually mis-pronounced by collectors, this coin was supposedly struck with George Washington’s personal silver in the cellar of a saw maker named John Harper? Half Disme
When speaking to the House of Representatives in November 1792, President Washington mentioned the "want of small coins in circulation" and stated that he had begun work on establishing a U.S. Mint and that some half dismes had been produced already. At this point, most of the personnel had been hired, but the Mint's buildings and machinery were not yet ready. As a result, the half dismes, which had been struck in or around July 1792, were produced using the private facilities of local craftsman John Harper, although under the auspices of official Mint personnel. In his personal log book, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson recorded the receipt of 1,500 specimens on July 13. Because of President Washington's connection with these early coins, numismatic folklore holds that the portrait on the obverse is that of First Lady Martha Washington and that some of the coins were struck using melted-down silverware from the Washington household. However, there is no solid evidence for either of these assertions. –wikipedia.
Introduced as one of the pillars of new coinage as per the act of 1792, the other being the $10 eagle, this inaugural year for the denomination survives with only about 125-150 examples known.
The coinage act of 1792 set the silver coinage standard as the silver dollar and the gold coin standard as the $10 Eagle with all other coins produced being either a multiple or a fraction of these two standards. The 1794 Silver Dollar was the first silver dollar struck for American coinage.
Sharing the same diameter as the cents in your pocket, this coin was the inaugural year of the 19mm size and also the famous design by James Longacre. 1856 Flying Eagle Cent
By the mid-1850s it was apparent to Mint officials that the large copper cents struck since 1793 were too cumbersome and unpopular, as well as increasingly uneconomical to make. The idea of fiduciary coinage, based on the trustworthiness of the issuing authority, not on the coin's intrinsic value, was beginning to catch on as well. Sooner or later the "big coppers" would have gone the way of the dinosaur, but it was the large numbers of small Spanish colonial silver coins in use throughout the United States that finally made it imperative that smaller cents had to be struck, and not necessarily of pure copper.
It was Mint Director James R. Snowden's desire to see all foreign coins driven out of the channels of commerce in the United States. The coinage law passed by Congress on February 21, 1857 gave him the means to do so. In addition to abolishing the half cent, the law also specified that the new cents would weigh 72 grains and be composed of 88% copper and 12% nickel. Furthermore, they were redeemable for the old copper cents and half cents. But the most important provision as far as Snowden was concerned was the one that permitted the Mint and the Treasury Department to redeem Spanish double-reales, reales and medios at the rate of 25, 12-1/2, and 6-1/4 cents, respectively, for the new cents. All other government offices would only convert these three denominations at the rate of 20, 10, and 5 cents. With such a powerful profit motive, banks were very desirous of exchanging as many of the foreign silver coins as possible for the new "nicks," as the Flying Eagle cents were called. – Coinresource.
The distribution of the inaugural year 1856 was thin and limited to government and mint officials: Following research in the National Archives, Walter Breen published the following distribution of 1856 Flying Eagle Cents: 264 (or more) to Congressmen, 200 to Representative S.D. Campbell, 102 to Secretary of the Treasury James Guthrie, 62 to Senators, 4 to President Franklin Pierce, 2 to the Mint Cabinet, Additional pieces were given to dignitaries and others. "Several hundred may have been held in stock in the Mint for later distribution to collectors, or to trade them for Washington medals for the Mint Cabinet" –coinfacts.
Which U.S. coin’s design is graced by the Goddess Minerva, dolphins, an owl, and pinecones? $50 Pan Pac
The designer of the coin was Robert I Aitken. The obverse shows Minerva, the Goddess of wisdom, skill, contemplation, spinning, weaving, agriculture, and horticulture. On her shield is the date MCMXV (1915). On the reverse is an owl, the symbol of wisdom, perched on a pine branch. The pinecones represent agricultural prosperity.
Designed with both flowing and coiled hair, this interesting and valuable coin was produced to promote international trade and travel for Americans. Just watch a “A Streetcar Named Desire” to get the answer. Stella
The Stella was a pattern coin produced to explore the possibility of joining the Latin Monetary Union; these patterns were produced in 1879 and 1880 at the urging of John A. Kasson, a former chairman of the United States House Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures. The coin and the prospect of joining the Latin Monetary Union were rejected by Congress, but not before several hundred restrikes of the Barber design had been produced and sold to Congressmen at the cost of production. These later became a source of scandal when it was noted that a number of these ended up as jewelry pieces adorning the necks of madams operating some of Washington's most famous bordellos.
Wow, Iosephus, you did a great job on the presentation of your test answers. You treated each individual question like a school essay and added the visual element to your answer. You make my answers look wimpy
Thank you Brandon for the challenge. I was happy to participate and actually learned something
As requested here were my answers....
1. Which Early U.S. Commemorative has five different dates on the coin yet none are the year it was actually produced?
a. What year was it actually produced? b. What are the five different dates? Answer: The 1936 Norfolk, Virginia, Bicentennial Half Dollar, Produced in 1937 it displays five dates, 1636, 1682, 1736, 1845 and 1936. ________________________________________
2. The Class II 1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollar was struck over which foreign coin used as a planchet for the strike? (Date, Country, and Design) Answer: 1857 Swiss Shooting Thaler.
a. What was the edge design that immediately caught the attention of collectors? Answer: The plain edge. Class I and Class III have a lettered edge.
b. Where does the coin now reside? Answer: The Smithsonian National Museum of American History , inventory number 1986.0836.0062. ________________________________________
3. Which U.S. coin was the first to break the $100,000 barrier? a.What year did this occur? Answer: My first answer was going to be the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, sold in a private sale for $100,000 in 1972. However that is not actually “breaking” the barrier so I will have to answer that is was the 1792 Cent Pattern, with silver plug, sold at auction on September 20, 1974 for $105,000. ________________________________________
4. What was the original mintage of 1933 dated double eagles? Answer: 445,500
a. What date range (month/day/year through month/day/year) were they produced? Answer: March 15, 1933 through April 5, 1933. b. What year were the majority of them destroyed? Answer: 1934 c. In 1944 which specimen was seized by the U.S. Treasury? Answer of C: This is a difficult “one” to answer as I found that several were seized during 1944. 1) James W. Flanagan had one seized from Stacks. 2) Another was seized from dealer Max Berenstein. 3) and another was seized from James F. Bell, AKA: Jacob F. Shapiro. 4) Then there was the King Farouk specimen (not seized) that the US Treasury issued an export license for and since July 30, 2002 it is the only 1933 Double Eagle that is legal to own. This is four specimens located in 1944. Five more were seized in 1945. ________________________________________
5. In 1892 which gold-plated brass famous gold coin was offered for sale in the Woodside Collection? Answer: A gold-plated brass copy of the 1849 Double Eagle.
a. Which design flaw was the primary reason for the minimal (handful) production late in the year in this, the inaugural year of it’s design? Answer: The relief was too high for mass production. b. Who designed the coin? Answer: James Barton Longacre. c. Where does the only known example of this coin reside today? Answer: The Smithsonian National Museum of American History, inventory number 1986.0836.0064. ________________________________________
6. After Augustus St. Gaudens became ill, who executed the plaster model for the Ultra High Relief Double Eagle? Answer: Henry Hering
a. What mint official opposed the design? Why? Answer: Chief Engraver Charles Barber, because he was resistant to non-mint influence and non-mint designed coins, also because he knew that striking these ultra-high relief coins for commercial distribution was impractical. b. How many strikes did the first example take to show the full detail of the coin? Answer: 7 strikes. c. How much pressure was used on each strike? Answer: 150 tons of pressure was used on each strike. The planchet was also annealed between each strike. The last strike used a three part collar to add the edge lettering. ________________________________________
7. Which coin of the well-known Barber Head type of any denomination is by far the rarest? Answer: The 1894-S Dime, with only 24 minted.
a. What was one spent on? Answer: A dish of Ice Cream. b. By whom (first and last name)? Answer: Hallie Daggett. ________________________________________
8. Gold plated and passed off as $5 gold coins before the design was altered to stop scammers, these were unaffectionately called “__________ ________”. Answer: Racketeer Nickels.
a. What was added to the design to stop scammers? Answer: The word CENTS. ________________________________________
9. Which half eagle had a mintage of well over 15,000 yet only three examples survive today? Answer: 1822
a. Why are they believed to be so scarce? Answer: Because most were melted down. b. What economic change prompted this? Answer: The value of gold increased and the gold content of these earlier eagles was worth more than the face value of $5. c. Who designed it? Answer: John Reich. ________________________________________
10. Which U.S. coin was legal tender in the U.S. only for a short period of time and only for debts up to $5.00? Answer: The Trade Dollar; it was given legal tender status by the coinage act of 1873 up to the sum of $5. The Trade Dollar was again deemed legal tender by law in 1874 which also restricted the legal tender status of ALL silver coins to not more than $5. Then by a resolution of Congress, July 22, 1876, the legal tender status was eliminated. However the legal tender status was restored by Congress in 1933 and again confirmed by the Coinage Act of 1965. ________________________________________
11. Which pattern U.S. design set is: 1. Unique (only one set ever produced). 2. The only set of gold patterns produced with a common theme. 3. Includes the ONLY three dollar pattern ever struck in gold. Answer: The 1872 Amazonian Gold Set. ________________________________________
12. Which famous coin was mainly produced in a pewter-like alloy because America was unable to secure a loan from the French government for silver? Answer: The Continental Dollar of 1776. ________________________________________
13. Augustus St. Gaudens’ Victory wearing an Indian headdress was used on the 1907 $10 gold piece instead of the much smaller denomination it was originally intended for. What design was used on that smaller denomination and can still be found in our pocket change today? Answer: The bust of Abraham Lincoln, designed by Victor David Brenner. ________________________________________
14. Which coin was criticized for the following reasons by early Americans? Answer: The 1793 Chain Cent. 1. The eyes of Liberty appeared to convey fear. 2. The reverse seemed to represent the bondage of slavery. 3. The quality of the engraving was poor. ________________________________________
15. What was the name of the deposit of Silver that started a U.S. mint in Nevada? Answer: The Comstock Lode.
a. Name the mint the mintmark that was used on coins that were made there. Answer: The Carson City Mint, using the initials CC. ________________________________________
16. Usually mis-pronounced by collectors, this coin was supposedly struck with George Washington’s personal silver in the cellar of a saw maker named John Harper? Answer: The Half-Disme. ________________________________________
17. Introduced as one of the pillars of new coinage as per the act of 1792, the other being the $10 eagle, this inaugural year for the denomination survives with only about 125-150 examples known. Answer: The 1794 Flowing Hair silver dollar. ________________________________________
18. Sharing the same diameter as the cents in your pocket, this coin was the inaugural year of the 19mm size and also the famous design by James Longacre. Answer: The Flying Eagle Cent, first minted in 1856 however coinage production started in 1857. ________________________________________
19. Which U.S. coin’s design is graced by the Goddess Minerva, dolphins, an owl, and pinecones? Answer: The Octagonal 1915-S $50 Gold Panama-Pacific Exposition Commemorative. ________________________________________
20. Designed with both flowing and coiled hair, this interesting and valuable coin was produced to promote international trade and travel for Americans. Just watch a “A Streetcar Named Desire” to get the answer. Answer: The gold $4 Stella, 1879-1880.
Very entertaining - thanks for the pdf link - most impressive.
"My friends who see my collection sometimes ask what something costs. I tell them and they are in awe at my stupidity." (Baccaruda, 12/03).I find it hard to believe that he (Trump) rushed to some hotel to meet girls of loose morals, although ours are undoubtedly the best in the world. (Putin 1/17) Gone but not forgotten. IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Broadstruck, Ricko, Big Moose, Cardinal.
Thanks for the contest Brandon! It was fun and educational to research the questions, and it has reignited my interest in U.S. coins. Congrats to all the winners!
What a fabulous test and set of answers. I did see one VERY minor typo in the pdf file. Question 15, line 5 the year should be 1863, not 1963 for the Nevada Mint Bil. This is such a great reference that I wanted to make sure there were no typos.
Retired United States Mint guy, now working on an Everyman Type Set.
What a fabulous test and set of answers. I did see one VERY minor typo in the pdf file. Question 15, line 5 the year should be 1863, not 1963 for the Nevada Mint Bil. This is such a great reference that I wanted to make sure there were no typos. >>
Whoops, the pdf file is mine. I've updated that typo; thanks for pointing it out.
We need many more like this to help with Numismatic Knowledge!
Knowledge is key to survival within the numismatic community.
Congratulations to the winners.
I must say that I am quite impressed. It's very refreshing to see that many here are well learned, quite knowledgeable - very astute Numismatists, in the truest sense!
To say that this is good for Numismatics would be putting it lightly!
Looks like at least 10 of us won 2 free images from Brandon. Some of the photos from Brandon of my 2 coins are posted below... where are the other winners at????
Thanks again Brandon!!!
1909 Matte Proof Lincoln PCGS PR65RB 1909 Indian Head Cent PCGS MS66RD
Comments
Merry Christmas you old Coin Forum!
Which Early U.S. Commemorative has five different dates on the coin yet none are the year it was actually produced? Norfolk Commemorative
a. What year was it actually produced? 1937
b. What are the five dates? 1636, 1736, 1682, 1936, 1845.
The Norfolk, Virginia Bicentennial Commemorative was issued to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the land grant for Norfolk, Virginia and the 200th anniversary of the establishment of Norfolk as a borough.
The designers of the coins were William Marks Simpson and Marjorie Emory Simpson. The obverse shows the Norfolk city seal. It shows a ship, with a plow below. On the plow are young peanut plants. Below the plow is three wheat sheaves. There are two mottos on the coin, ET TERRA ET MARE DIVITIAE TUAE and CRESCAS meaning "Both land and sea are your riches" and "May you prosper". On the reverse is Norfolk's Royal Mace. It was presented to the Borough of Norfolk in 1753. It is the only Royal Mace ever presented to an American city during Colonial times. On each side of the date are dogwood sprigs.
The Norfolk Advertising Board, Inc. tried to have a coin bill passed but could only get a medal. They realized that there would be no interest in a medal and did not have any struck. They tried again and succeeded in having Congress authorize no more than 25,000 coins minted. 25,013 coins were struck, 13 for assay. They were distributed by the Norfolk Advertising Board. 5,000 were melted in 1938, and 3,077 were melted at a later date.
The coins originally sold for $1.65 each, and $1.55 for each additional piece, no more than 20 per person. The original packaging was cardboard holders. They were light green in color and had imprinted covers. On the reverse of the holder was the poem Norfolk-Virginia by Charles Day.
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The Class II 1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollar was struck over which foreign coin used as a planchet for the strike? (Date, Country, and Design) 1857 Swiss Shooting Thaler
c. What was the edge design that immediately caught the attention of collectors? Plain
d. Where does the coin now reside? National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.
Between 1858 and 1860, a small number of 1804 silver dollars were illegally struck by an employee of the Mint named Theodore Eckfeldt, and sold to coin collectors through a store in Philadelphia. Two parts of the minting process were improvised by Eckfeldt, striking the 1804 dies into another coin, and using a different but similar reverse die having the lettering and clouds positioned slightly differently than the Class I and Class III specimens.[1] The number of coins minted is believed to be between ten and fifteen, struck with two separate coin dies, known to numismatists as "Class II." The illegally minted coins were hunted down and seized by officials of the Mint. Today, only one Class II coin exists, residing at the Smithsonian Institution. It is alleged that it has been struck over a modified Swiss Shooting Thaler dated 1857.
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Which U.S. coin was the first to break the $100,000 barrier? 1913 Liberty Nickel Hawaii Five-O Olsen specimen.
b. What year did this occur? 1972
While the Eliasberg specimen is the best preserved of the five coins, the Olsen specimen is almost certainly the most famous. It has been graded Proof-64 by both PCGS and NGC, making it one of only two Proofs (the Eliasberg specimen being the other). The Olsen specimen was featured on an episode of Hawaii Five-O (The $100,000 Nickel, aired on December 11, 1973). It was also briefly owned by Egyptian King Farouk.
When Newman and Johnson broke up the set of five coins, the Olsen specimen was sold first to James Kelly and then to Fred Olson. The latter collector sold the coin to Farouk, but his name has remained attached to it in numismatic circles ever since. In 1972, it was sold to World Wide Coin Investments for $100,000, thus inspiring its title appearance in Hawaii Five-O the following year. The coin's price had doubled, to $200,000, when it was resold to Superior Galleries in 1978. It has been resold on several occasions since then, most recently fetching $3,000,000 in June 2004. The current owner's name has not been disclosed.
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What was the original mintage of 1933 dated double eagles? 445,000
d. What date range (month/day/year through month/day/year) were they produced? 03/15/33-05/19/33.
e. What year were the majority of them destroyed? 1937
f. In 1944 which specimen was seized by the U.S. Treasury? Flanagan Specimen.
Brothers Joseph and Morton Stack had started their coin auction business in 1935 and, in less than a decade, had become one of the pre-eminent firms in the nation. The sale of the Flanagan collection was to be their greatest ever, and the advertisement they placed in the February 1944, Numismatist, proudly noted that: "we expect this sale to realize the world's record to total amount of dollars!"
Kehr noticed the last lot of the sale, lot 1681, which was described as "the excessively rare 1933 double eagle." A curious man and careful researcher, he must have wondered why it was so rare. He directed a simple question directly to the United States Mint: How many 1933 Double Eagles were released? An equally simple reply was given: None.
The Acting Director of the Mint, Dr. Leland Howard, as he recalled in the March 30, 1944 memo to the Chief of the United States Secret Service, had received the "routine inquiry," and upon personally checking, "discovered that none were ever legally paid out by the Mint." Alarmed, Howard immediately contacted Secret Service Chief Frank B. Wilson, and advised him that, "the coin was for sale in New York and others were reported to be in collections there."
Although it was the Stack's advertisement for the Colonel Flanagan auction that ultimately initiated the Secret Service investigation, curiously, it was not the first public offering of a 1933 Double Eagle. Three years earlier, the Chicago firm of Smith & Son had taken an advertisement in the February, 1941 issue of the Numismatist. It read: "1933 $20.00. Uncirculated, the rarest of all Double Eagles with the exception of the 1849; only three pieces known at the present time. Price on application to interested buyers." Had the Secret Service been aware of that offering, who knows how history might have changed? – Stacks
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In 1892 which gold-plated brass famous gold coin was offered for sale in the Woodside Collection? 1849 DE.
d. Which design flaw was the primary reason for the minimal (handful) production late in the year in this, the inaugural year of it’s design? The relief was too high.
e. Who designed the coin? James B. Longacre
f. Where does the only known example of this coin reside today? National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.
Walter Breen has conjectured that on December 22, 1849, two or three gold impressions are believed to have been made of the 1849 Double Eagle. One went to the Mint Cabinet, this being the only specimen known today. Another is said to have been made for Secretary of the Treasury William M. Meredith. However, this does not explain the Mint Cabinet piece being from a corrected die with lower relief.
Concerning the Meredith example, facts are scarce, but it is said that is passed from the Meredith estate to Philadelphia dealer William K. Nagy, who was active from the turn of the century onward and who was the business partner of the old-time dealer John W. Haseltine, then in his waning years. In the 1950's, Nagy discussed the coin with Breen and Stated that it had been placed in a private collection. Breen remarked that this must have been the Meredith coin, and Nagy was astonished that Breen knew its pedigree.
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After Augustus St. Gaudens became ill, who executed the plaster model for the Ultra High Relief Double Eagle? Henry Hering.
d. What mint official opposed the design? Why? Charles Barber. Impracticality of the multiple strikes needed to fully impress the design onto the coin.
e. How many strikes did the first example take to show the full detail of the coin? Nine.
f. How much pressure was used on each strike? 172 Tons.
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Which coin of the well-known Barber Head type of any denomination is by far the rarest? 1894-S Dime
c. What was one supposedly spent on? Ice Cream
d. By whom (first and last name)? Hallie Daggett.
John Daggett had 24 1894-S dimes struck at the special request of banker friends. Three of these were given to his young daughter Hallie. Although John instructed her to take special care not to lose or spend them because they would be valuable some day. She spend one on a bowl of ice cream and kept the other two until 1954. Although this story has never been verified, it will forever enchant this fabulous numismatic rarity.
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Gold plated and passed off as $5 gold coins before the design was altered to stop scammers, these were unaffectionately called “__________ ________”. Racketeer Nickel
b. What was added to the design to stop scammers? Cents
In 1883 the Mint issued a new 5c coin with the head of Liberty and a Roman "V" meaning "5" on the reverse. Many people thought that the coin was an error since in didn't have "cents" anywhere on the coin.
The lack of the word cents created an opportunity for the unscrupulous. The coins were gold plated and reeds were cut into the edge by hand (nickels have a plain edge) and they were passed off as $5 gold coins.
The most famous criminal case about altered 5 cent coins involved a deaf mute named Josh Tatum. He would go to cigar stands and purchase a 5c cigar and pay with a gold plated, hand reeded nickel. The attendant would assume that it was a $5 gold piece and give Josh $4.95 change. He was acquitted since he never said that the coin was $5, he couldn't. The Mint had learned its lesson and the following year put the word "cents" at the bottom of the reverse.
Some of these "Racketeer" nickels survive today and are interesting to collectors. Over the last century, there are many nickels that have been gilt and passed off as the "real" thing so beware of "copies". Its not easy to ascertain whether you have a "genuine" racketeer nickel as they are all altered coins tampered with outside the Mint. Generally, the ones used in 1883 have some or all of the gilt rubbed off and have a very carefully reeded edge. – Coinsite.com
Which half eagle had a mintage of well over 15,000 yet only three examples survive today? 1822
d. Why are they believed to be so scarce? They were melted.
e. What economic change prompted this? Gold/Silver ratio was 1/18 instead of 1/15 making the $5 gold coins worth $6.
f. Who designed it? John Reich.
In a public assay in Paris in 1831, 40,000 U.S. half eagles of “recent mintage” were destroyed. Only a few examples escaped into circulation before the entire remainder of the mintage was destroyed. The extreme rarity of the 1822 half eagle stems from the ever-changing relationship of the price of gold relative to that of silver. In 1792, the year the U.S. Mint was established, the ratio of gold to silver was 1/15. At this ratio, the half eagle contained enough gold for it to be equal in value to five silver dollars. By the time 1820 rolled around the price of silver had declined due to over-production in both Mexico and in South American mines. This skewed the ratio to 1/18 making the $5 gold piece worth six silver dollars. As a result, the vast majority of gold coins were pulled from circulation and melted down.
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Which U.S. coin was legal tender in the U.S. only for a short period of time and only for debts up to $5.00?
Trade Dollars
The coinage law of 1873 authorized the unlimited coinage of a silver coin, known as the "trade dollar," which it was supposed might be used as a substitute for the Mexican dollar in our trade with the Orient. It was legal tender in the United States only to the amount of $5. It contained 420 grains of standard silver, and so was slightly heavier than the standard silver dollar (412 1/2 grains), and was worth a trifle more than the gold dollar. Owing, however, to the decline in the gold price of silver, it became profitable to convert silver bullion into these trade dollars. In 1876 they were deprived of their legal tender quality and their coinage was restricted. In 1878 further coinage was prohibited except for "proof pieces," and in 1887 provision was made for the redemption of the outstanding coins at par in standard silver dollars or subsidiary silver. The total issue of trade dollars was $35,965,924, of which $7,689,036 were presented for redemption. -John Thom Holdsworth
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Which pattern U.S. design set is:
1. Unique (only one set ever produced).
2. The only set of gold patterns produced with a common theme.
3. Includes the ONLY three dollar pattern ever struck in gold.
Amazonian Gold Pattern Set.
This unique six-piece set consists of the following:
• Gold Dollar PR 67 (Judd-1224, Pollock-1366);
• Quarter Eagle PR 66 (Judd-1230, Pollock-1372);
• Three Dollar PR 67 (Judd-1235, Pollock-1377);
• Half Eagle PR 66 (Judd-1240, Pollock-1382);
• Eagle PR 66 (Judd-1245, Pollock-1387), and
• Double Eagle PR 65 (Judd-1250, Pollock-1392).
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Which famous coin was mainly produced in a pewter-like alloy because America was unable to secure a loan from the French government for silver? 1776 Continental Dollar
In 1776 American patriotism was full force and the desire for a monetary exchange that was more “solid” than the paper continental currencies circulating around the colonies. Elisha Gallaudet, a New Jersey engraver prepared dies with suggestions from Benjamin Franklin and the design already in use on the paper continental currencies. However, the supply of precious metals was completely dependent on foreign reserves and America was unable to get silver from France. So, they struck the majority in a pewter-like metal which may not have had intrinsic value but was at least metal as opposed to the thin paper currencies used at the time.
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Augustus St. Gaudens’ Victory wearing an Indian headdress was used on the 1907 $10 gold piece instead of the much smaller denomination it was originally intended for. What design was used on that smaller denomination and can still be found in our pocket change today? Lincoln Cent.
St. Gaudens was commissioned by Theodore Roosevelt in 1905 to redesign all denominations of coins, including the cent. St. Gaudens initially wanted a flying eagle design similar to the 1856 Flying Eagle cent but was eventually abandoned in favor of Victory in profile wearing an Indian headdress. Both Roosevelt and St. Gaudens liked this design so much that it was decided that it be used on the new 1907 $10 Eagle instead of the cent. Sadly, shortly after, St. Gaudens died of cancer before any more progress was done on the designs. It wasn’t until 1909 that Victor David Brenner created the bust of Lincoln that adorns the cent to this day.
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Which coin was criticized for the following reasons by early Americans?
4. The eyes of Liberty appeared to convey fear.
5. The reverse seemed to represent the bondage slavery to some and the tyranny of Britain to others.
6. The quality of the engraving was poor.
The Chain Cent. Come on, this one was easy. Just look at it! Henry Voigt’s chain cent design was derided by the public because of it’s poor engraving quality but that wasn’t the extent of the public’s disapproval. Liberty’s eyes seemed to convey a sense of fear instead of peace and strength. The reverse was seen by the public as representing Britain’s bondage from which the colonists were recently freed. Still, others viewed the chains as representing slavery which was adopted in some parts of the new world but reviled in others.
What was the name of the deposit of Silver that started a U.S. mint in Nevada? Comstock Lode
b. Name the mint the mintmark that was used on coins that were made there. Carson City, CC.
Carson City Mint was a branch of the United States Mint in Carson City, Nevada. Built at the peak of the silver boom, 57 issues of silver coins minted here between 1870 and 1893 bore the "CC" mint mark. The mint was established in Carson City to facilitate minting of silver coins from silver in the Comstock Lode, somewhat like how the San Francisco Mint was established to facilitate minting gold coins from the gold of the California gold rush. From 1895 to 1933, the building served as the U.S. Assay Office for gold and silver. The Federal Government sold the building to the state of Nevada in 1939.
The building that housed the mint was the first designed by Alfred B. Mullett after he became Supervising Architect of the Department of the Treasury. The simple Renaissance Revival style stone facade has pairs of round-headed windows and a center portico. Today, it is the home of the Nevada State Museum.
The Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. deposit of silver ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City, Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt. Davidson, a peak in the Virginia range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims. Mining camps soon thrived in the vicinity, which became bustling centers of fabulous wealth.
The excavations were carried to depths of more than 3200 feet (1000 m). Between 1859 and 1878, it yielded about $400 million in silver and gold.
It is notable not just for the immense fortunes it generated and the large role those fortunes had in the growth of Nevada and San Francisco, but also for the advances in mining technology that it spurred. The mines declined after 1874. – wikipedia.
Usually mis-pronounced by collectors, this coin was supposedly struck with George Washington’s personal silver in the cellar of a saw maker named John Harper? Half Disme
When speaking to the House of Representatives in November 1792, President Washington mentioned the "want of small coins in circulation" and stated that he had begun work on establishing a U.S. Mint and that some half dismes had been produced already. At this point, most of the personnel had been hired, but the Mint's buildings and machinery were not yet ready. As a result, the half dismes, which had been struck in or around July 1792, were produced using the private facilities of local craftsman John Harper, although under the auspices of official Mint personnel. In his personal log book, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson recorded the receipt of 1,500 specimens on July 13. Because of President Washington's connection with these early coins, numismatic folklore holds that the portrait on the obverse is that of First Lady Martha Washington and that some of the coins were struck using melted-down silverware from the Washington household. However, there is no solid evidence for either of these assertions. –wikipedia.
Introduced as one of the pillars of new coinage as per the act of 1792, the other being the $10 eagle, this inaugural year for the denomination survives with only about 125-150 examples known.
The coinage act of 1792 set the silver coinage standard as the silver dollar and the gold coin standard as the $10 Eagle with all other coins produced being either a multiple or a fraction of these two standards. The 1794 Silver Dollar was the first silver dollar struck for American coinage.
Sharing the same diameter as the cents in your pocket, this coin was the inaugural year of the 19mm size and also the famous design by James Longacre. 1856 Flying Eagle Cent
By the mid-1850s it was apparent to Mint officials that the large copper cents struck since 1793 were too cumbersome and unpopular, as well as increasingly uneconomical to make. The idea of fiduciary coinage, based on the trustworthiness of the issuing authority, not on the coin's intrinsic value, was beginning to catch on as well. Sooner or later the "big coppers" would have gone the way of the dinosaur, but it was the large numbers of small Spanish colonial silver coins in use throughout the United States that finally made it imperative that smaller cents had to be struck, and not necessarily of pure copper.
It was Mint Director James R. Snowden's desire to see all foreign coins driven out of the channels of commerce in the United States. The coinage law passed by Congress on February 21, 1857 gave him the means to do so. In addition to abolishing the half cent, the law also specified that the new cents would weigh 72 grains and be composed of 88% copper and 12% nickel. Furthermore, they were redeemable for the old copper cents and half cents. But the most important provision as far as Snowden was concerned was the one that permitted the Mint and the Treasury Department to redeem Spanish double-reales, reales and medios at the rate of 25, 12-1/2, and 6-1/4 cents, respectively, for the new cents. All other government offices would only convert these three denominations at the rate of 20, 10, and 5 cents. With such a powerful profit motive, banks were very desirous of exchanging as many of the foreign silver coins as possible for the new "nicks," as the Flying Eagle cents were called. – Coinresource.
The distribution of the inaugural year 1856 was thin and limited to government and mint officials: Following research in the National Archives, Walter Breen published the following distribution of 1856 Flying Eagle Cents: 264 (or more) to Congressmen, 200 to Representative S.D. Campbell, 102 to Secretary of the Treasury James Guthrie, 62 to Senators, 4 to President Franklin Pierce, 2 to the Mint Cabinet, Additional pieces were given to dignitaries and others. "Several hundred may have been held in stock in the Mint for later distribution to collectors, or to trade them for Washington medals for the Mint Cabinet" –coinfacts.
Which U.S. coin’s design is graced by the Goddess Minerva, dolphins, an owl, and pinecones? $50 Pan Pac
The designer of the coin was Robert I Aitken. The obverse shows Minerva, the Goddess of wisdom, skill, contemplation, spinning, weaving, agriculture, and horticulture. On her shield is the date MCMXV (1915). On the reverse is an owl, the symbol of wisdom, perched on a pine branch. The pinecones represent agricultural prosperity.
Designed with both flowing and coiled hair, this interesting and valuable coin was produced to promote international trade and travel for Americans. Just watch a “A Streetcar Named Desire” to get the answer.
Stella
The Stella was a pattern coin produced to explore the possibility of joining the Latin Monetary Union; these patterns were produced in 1879 and 1880 at the urging of John A. Kasson, a former chairman of the United States House Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures. The coin and the prospect of joining the Latin Monetary Union were rejected by Congress, but not before several hundred restrikes of the Barber design had been produced and sold to Congressmen at the cost of production. These later became a source of scandal when it was noted that a number of these ended up as jewelry pieces adorning the necks of madams operating some of Washington's most famous bordellos.
Thank you Brandon for the challenge. I was happy to participate and actually learned something
As requested here were my answers....
1. Which Early U.S. Commemorative has five different dates on the coin yet none are the year it was actually produced?
a. What year was it actually produced?
b. What are the five different dates?
Answer: The 1936 Norfolk, Virginia, Bicentennial Half Dollar, Produced in 1937 it displays five dates, 1636, 1682, 1736, 1845 and 1936.
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2. The Class II 1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollar was struck over which foreign coin used as a planchet for the strike? (Date, Country, and Design)
Answer: 1857 Swiss Shooting Thaler.
a. What was the edge design that immediately caught the attention of collectors?
Answer: The plain edge. Class I and Class III have a lettered edge.
b. Where does the coin now reside?
Answer: The Smithsonian National Museum of American History , inventory number 1986.0836.0062.
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3. Which U.S. coin was the first to break the $100,000 barrier? a.What year did this occur?
Answer: My first answer was going to be the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, sold in a private sale for $100,000 in 1972. However that is not actually “breaking” the barrier so I will have to answer that is was the 1792 Cent Pattern, with silver plug, sold at auction on September 20, 1974 for $105,000.
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4. What was the original mintage of 1933 dated double eagles? Answer: 445,500
a. What date range (month/day/year through month/day/year) were they produced? Answer: March 15, 1933 through April 5, 1933.
b. What year were the majority of them destroyed? Answer: 1934
c. In 1944 which specimen was seized by the U.S. Treasury?
Answer of C: This is a difficult “one” to answer as I found that several were seized during 1944. 1) James W. Flanagan had one seized from Stacks. 2) Another was seized from dealer Max Berenstein. 3) and another was seized from James F. Bell, AKA: Jacob F. Shapiro. 4) Then there was the King Farouk specimen (not seized) that the US Treasury issued an export license for and since July 30, 2002 it is the only 1933 Double Eagle that is legal to own. This is four specimens located in 1944. Five more were seized in 1945.
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5. In 1892 which gold-plated brass famous gold coin was offered for sale in the Woodside Collection?
Answer: A gold-plated brass copy of the 1849 Double Eagle.
a. Which design flaw was the primary reason for the minimal (handful) production late in the year in this, the inaugural year of it’s design? Answer: The relief was too high for mass production.
b. Who designed the coin? Answer: James Barton Longacre.
c. Where does the only known example of this coin reside today? Answer: The Smithsonian National Museum of American History, inventory number 1986.0836.0064.
________________________________________
6. After Augustus St. Gaudens became ill, who executed the plaster model for the Ultra High Relief Double Eagle?
Answer: Henry Hering
a. What mint official opposed the design? Why? Answer: Chief Engraver Charles Barber, because he was resistant to non-mint influence and non-mint designed coins, also because he knew that striking these ultra-high relief coins for commercial distribution was impractical.
b. How many strikes did the first example take to show the full detail of the coin? Answer: 7 strikes.
c. How much pressure was used on each strike? Answer: 150 tons of pressure was used on each strike. The planchet was also annealed between each strike. The last strike used a three part collar to add the edge lettering.
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7. Which coin of the well-known Barber Head type of any denomination is by far the rarest?
Answer: The 1894-S Dime, with only 24 minted.
a. What was one spent on? Answer: A dish of Ice Cream.
b. By whom (first and last name)? Answer: Hallie Daggett.
________________________________________
8. Gold plated and passed off as $5 gold coins before the design was altered to stop scammers, these were unaffectionately called “__________ ________”.
Answer: Racketeer Nickels.
a. What was added to the design to stop scammers? Answer: The word CENTS.
________________________________________
9. Which half eagle had a mintage of well over 15,000 yet only three examples survive today? Answer: 1822
a. Why are they believed to be so scarce? Answer: Because most were melted down.
b. What economic change prompted this? Answer: The value of gold increased and the gold content of these earlier eagles was worth more than the face value of $5.
c. Who designed it? Answer: John Reich.
________________________________________
10. Which U.S. coin was legal tender in the U.S. only for a short period of time and only for debts up to $5.00?
Answer: The Trade Dollar; it was given legal tender status by the coinage act of 1873 up to the sum of $5. The Trade Dollar was again deemed legal tender by law in 1874 which also restricted the legal tender status of ALL silver coins to not more than $5. Then by a resolution of Congress, July 22, 1876, the legal tender status was eliminated. However the legal tender status was restored by Congress in 1933 and again confirmed by the Coinage Act of 1965.
________________________________________
11. Which pattern U.S. design set is:
1. Unique (only one set ever produced).
2. The only set of gold patterns produced with a common theme.
3. Includes the ONLY three dollar pattern ever struck in gold.
Answer: The 1872 Amazonian Gold Set.
________________________________________
12. Which famous coin was mainly produced in a pewter-like alloy because America was unable to secure a loan from the French government for silver?
Answer: The Continental Dollar of 1776.
________________________________________
13. Augustus St. Gaudens’ Victory wearing an Indian headdress was used on the 1907 $10 gold piece instead of the much smaller denomination it was originally intended for. What design was used on that smaller denomination and can still be found in our pocket change today?
Answer: The bust of Abraham Lincoln, designed by Victor David Brenner.
________________________________________
14. Which coin was criticized for the following reasons by early Americans? Answer: The 1793 Chain Cent.
1. The eyes of Liberty appeared to convey fear.
2. The reverse seemed to represent the bondage of slavery.
3. The quality of the engraving was poor.
________________________________________
15. What was the name of the deposit of Silver that started a U.S. mint in Nevada?
Answer: The Comstock Lode.
a. Name the mint the mintmark that was used on coins that were made there.
Answer: The Carson City Mint, using the initials CC.
________________________________________
16. Usually mis-pronounced by collectors, this coin was supposedly struck with George Washington’s personal silver in the cellar of a saw maker named John Harper?
Answer: The Half-Disme.
________________________________________
17. Introduced as one of the pillars of new coinage as per the act of 1792, the other being the $10 eagle, this inaugural year for the denomination survives with only about 125-150 examples known.
Answer: The 1794 Flowing Hair silver dollar.
________________________________________
18. Sharing the same diameter as the cents in your pocket, this coin was the inaugural year of the 19mm size and also the famous design by James Longacre.
Answer: The Flying Eagle Cent, first minted in 1856 however coinage production started in 1857.
________________________________________
19. Which U.S. coin’s design is graced by the Goddess Minerva, dolphins, an owl, and pinecones?
Answer: The Octagonal 1915-S $50 Gold Panama-Pacific Exposition Commemorative.
________________________________________
20. Designed with both flowing and coiled hair, this interesting and valuable coin was produced to promote international trade and travel for Americans. Just watch a “A Streetcar Named Desire” to get the answer.
Answer: The gold $4 Stella, 1879-1880.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
Virtus Collection - Renaissance and Baroque Medals
Hey Brandon,
can you give Iosephus 20 more?
**WINNER**Lordmarcovan's "2008 Most Righteous Giver-Away of Good Loot Award"
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 700
What a fabulous test and set of answers. I did see one VERY minor typo in the pdf file. Question 15, line 5 the year should be 1863, not 1963 for the Nevada Mint Bil. This is such a great reference that I wanted to make sure there were no typos.
<< <i>Brandon,
What a fabulous test and set of answers. I did see one VERY minor typo in the pdf file. Question 15, line 5 the year should be 1863, not 1963 for the Nevada Mint Bil. This is such a great reference that I wanted to make sure there were no typos. >>
Whoops, the pdf file is mine. I've updated that typo; thanks for pointing it out.
Virtus Collection - Renaissance and Baroque Medals
We need many more like this to help with Numismatic Knowledge!
Knowledge is key to survival within the numismatic community.
Congratulations to the winners.
I must say that I am quite impressed. It's very refreshing to see that
many here are well learned, quite knowledgeable - very astute Numismatists,
in the truest sense!
To say that this is good for Numismatics would be putting it lightly!
Thanks again & congratulations to all.
> 100 Greatest U.S. Coins, 2nd Edition
> Penny Whimsy
> The Coin Dealer Newsletter: A Study in Rare Coin Price Performance, 1963 - 1988
Thanks very much, Brandon, for the fun contest! I look forward to reading through these interesting books!
Virtus Collection - Renaissance and Baroque Medals
Thanks again Brandon!!!
1909 Matte Proof Lincoln PCGS PR65RB
1909 Indian Head Cent PCGS MS66RD
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 700