Owner Comments:
1880 $1 Metric Dollar
Judd-1650, Pollock-1850
Rarity: Low R.7, PR65 CAM .
Struck in Aluminum with a reeded edge.
Obverse: .George T. Morgan’s head of Liberty, her hair arranged in a bun. A ribbon across her head is inscribed LIBERTY. Above, the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, and below, the date, 1880. Thirteen stars are arranged seven left and six right T. Morgan's Liberty Head design as also on Judd-1622.
Reverse: .The reverse offers a wreath of cotton and wheat, with inner circle of dots enclosing 895.8 S. / 4.2 -- G. / 100 -- C. / 25 GRAMS. DEO EST GLORIA ("God is glory/To God be the glory") appears in a cartouche, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and ONE DOLLAR around the margin.
Comment: .
The second digit 8 is punched over a 7, with the upper loop mostly filled.
Fully brilliant light gray with deeply mirrored fields and highly lustrous devices. An exceptional cameo Proof. A few minute spots are noted, along with some minor crazing of the surface.
This Gem exhibits noticeable cameo contrast with a few trivial toning specks.
In the auction catalog from Bowers & Merena Part I of the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, May 1999, Lot 1303 had a discussion of the 1880 overdate feature.
“The second 8 in the date, 1880, is punched over a previous 7, a feature that is probably common to all examples from this die, but which we do not seem to have seen mentioned in print before. The overdate feature is quite like that found on certain Morgan dollars and is probably explained by the die being dated 187, with the position for the fourth digit left blank, and then when the decade changed, it was overpunched as 1880. Alternatively, perhaps the entire date 1879 was in position and was effaced, leaving just a trace of the 7, but no trace of the 9. In a discussion your editor had with former Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro a few years ago, Frank mentioned how a skilled engraver can, in his words, “move around” metal on the face of a die, removing nearly completely the traces of anything reasonably shallow that was punched in error. In any event, this feature, though not necessarily lending value, certainly lends interest”
US Patterns lists several pieces pedigrees of this piece as follows:
Aluminum J1650/P1850 with about at least 5 known including:
1) Maris, Garrett-JHU, B/R 3/80 Garrett II, Superior 6/98, Heritage 3/99 - PCGS64, illustrated above, corrosion near star 13 and a toning line through OL in DOLLAR
2) Heritage 97 ANA, B/M 8/00 ANA, Heritage 4/18 - PCGS65 with a few spots below Liberty's chin
<= This Piece
3) Heritage 8/06 as PCGS65, Heritage 4/17 as NGC65, Heritage 11/17 as NGC65, Heritage 11/21 - PCGS65
4) Burke-B/M 5/94, Simpson-Heritage 4/21 - PCGS65
5) Auction 90, appears to be different from the others.
6) Heritage 1/04 FUN - NGC65 may be another
Provenance/Appearances: .
From The Collection of William Rau. Heritage April 2018 CSNS - Chicago / Lot #4514 , Priors;
- Heritage Jul 1997 (ANA) / Lot #7347;
- Bowers & Merena Aug 2000 ( ANA) /Lot #4087