RWB

There is considerable circumstantial evidence from correspondence by Pollock, Snowden, Linderman, Dubios and several others plus congressional comments and related materials. I have reviewed much - not all - of this and that is the cumulative source of my opinions on the matter. I am currently researching the subject of restrikes of circulation and pattern pieces, and have made some interesting discoveries. Everything will eventually be published. However, a message board is not the appropriate place -- anyway, it wold give away the "punch lines." Your assumptions are largely at odds with known facts, behavior and purposes. The 20-cent is a good example of a baseless assumption -- Linderman was absolutely clear about his thoughts on the design. (see quote.) Nothing refutes that. Existence of some novodels made at a later date does not change anything Linderman wrote. Collectors of that era were fully aware of the potential for distorting history by restriking coins and patterns, or inventing pre-dated fantasies.

I disagree with most of what your conjecture. What is your evidence?

Skeletons are not made of gold and they rarely have much to say. Following the humiliating loss at Bull Run, Treasury kept only limited amounts of specie in Washington - it was too vulnerable to attack from the north across the Potomac River at Edwards Ferry, White's Ferry, and Seneca Creek farm wagon crossing. Gold from California went to New York, then to Philadelphia for coinage, or London for payments. Even after the victory at Gettysburg, Washington was considered unsafe due to spies, saboteurs, and southern agents.

Bologna!

The question itself is unanswerable because it is built on false assumptions throughout. I'll add more in a little while.... Here's a short reply to the "question." Mint directors had been trying to redesign gold and silver coinage since well before Longacre’s 1859 patterns. Each time, something prevented fulfillment. In 1859 it was the impending Free vs Slave which caused the Sec of Treasury to suspend any changes except the dime and half dime reverses and cent tweaks. Following the war International Monetary Commission meetings stimulated various conceptual designs, but nothing that was ever intended for production. The standard dollar proposals, postal currency, and arguments over revisions of the Mint Bureau stimulated Longacre, and later William Barber’s seated Liberty with shield (aka “Amazon”) design, commercial dollars, plus others by Bailey and Paquet for Trade dollars. With specie resumption not yet a fact, these were largely hollow ideas. 20-cent: "I should therefore prefer the Bailey figure of “Liberty” seated as shown on one of the specimen trade dollars for the obverse and the Barber eagle, as it appears on the Trade Dollar for the reverse. If reduced to the proper size I think they will be very appropriate." Apr 20, 1874. When Linderman became director in 1873 one of his prime goals was to revise the coinage by introducing an “ideal head of liberty” for the obverse of each major series. Silver reverses would have a European-look with the denomination in the center and a wreath/ornament surrounding. Gold would use an eagle. By 1874 Linderman was already aware that Congress was going to reauthorize the standard silver dollar, and began planning accordingly. This culminated in William Barber’s 1876 Liberty head. This design was approved by key Congressional officers and Linderman was ready to put it into production. But, he had also been corresponding with the Asst. Mint Master at the Royal Mint, London, and George Morgan had been agreed upon as a Special Engraver and was to come to Philadelphia. But communication was delayed and Linderman gave up on hearing of Morgan’s acceptance. He told Barber to go ahead and make reductions and dies for the silver coins (including dollar). Within a couple of days of doing this, Morgan’s acceptance arrived, and everything came to a stop. Morgan brought new designs with him, later tested on half dollars, and everything restarted in October 1876. Linderman then allowed Barber and Morgan to compete for the new dollar design, and Morgan’s was accepted largely because of its lower relief. Many of the patterns from the early 1870s, and after 1878 were authorized verbally (according to Charles Barber) so there are few written records describing what was done. Medal Dept records are very skimpy concerning patterns, although they should have maintained a complete record (as was claimed by Pollock). [Speculation: There are several "convenient" sets of missing records including the engraver's, medal department, chief clerk, cashier's sales for cash, distribution of proceeds of pattern sales to the Mint Cabinet, and testimony missing from a formal inquiry. This makes me wonder if the records were intentionally scrubbed.] [See Girl on the Silver Dollar for a better organized description of events and photos of various patterns along with archival documents.]

Yet the liars and corrupt are the jerks spreading this nonsense, or who are unable to separate reality from their own sad dementia.

Added tidbit:

This kind of tourist fodder comes from almost any place in the middle east, Bulgaria, Egypt, Israel, etc. Some better quality junk comes from Chili and China. They are very easy to make from molds, and often are merely copies of fakes of copies of fakes, of copies....etc.

I did extensive research on Dr. Andrew, including working with family bebmers, to establish his roles in development of the National Monetary Commission (resulting in Federal Reserve System), US Mint, US Treasury (Asst. Sec Treas), American Field Ambulance Service (AFS), work with friends and others to get Ford ambulances to France, American Legion foundation, member of Congress from Mass, relationship with Cecilia Beaux, and other points of influence. His written materials demonstrate depth of research knowledge well beyond that shown by any US Government contemporary in finance and related fields. He was also one of the wealthy "Boston Brahmans" who hosted exotic weekend parties, and described in contemporary terms as "a bachelor who lived alone." See Renaissance of American Coinage 1909-1915 and particularly Chapter 5 "Novus Ordo Seclorum."

Alex -- Thanks for the map and info!

USSS and Treasury. Not Justice.

This comment from Dir Andrew deserves clarification. The Philadelphia Mint routinely announced to clubs, newspapers and hobby publications the date proof sets would be available and the price. This practice continued through the term of Dir. George Roberts and erratically through Frank Leach's term. At various times previous mail-order purchasers were also sent a notice. Some of the confusion exists because most proof sets were sold at the mint in person to visitors or local coin dealers. Thus, there was never a comprehensive mailing list available. Dir Andrew comes across as excessively demanding and one who assumed that new technology would work from the beginning. When he bought some auto adjusting balances, he almost immediately fired all the gold blank adjusters. The ladies had to be rehired a few months later when the machines did not perform as well as Andrew expected. He was also a "tight-arse" in more ways than one. He was also one of the smartest people in all of government service.

BS.

At the time the information was collected (20+ years ago), NARA did not allow cameras and prevented copying of letterpress books on their photocopiers. I had to transcribe everything so I use abbreviations and code words the I later cleaned up.

The book is aimed at the false story about Anna Williams modeling for the 1878 dollar. There is a lot more information on Barber's patterns that is not in the book.

FyingAl - Nice write-up and presentation. However if you will read my book "Girl on the Silver Dollar" you will begin to understand the real background and purpose of the design. There is a lot more information than in auction catalogs and the occasional NNP reference.

I will still sign copies for those who would like it. However I am now using a gnat's eyelash for a fountain pen. (Just request an autographed copy when ordering.)

That refers to mint director A. Piatt Andrew, and it is my shorthand reference for filing purposes, not an official statement. PS: It was not a "memo." It was a reply to a letter forwarded by the White House to Director Andrew for an official response

Everyone was once a "beginner."

Stained mid-range EF. Nowhere close to "AU" by any grading system. Please buy a good coin grading book and learn from it.

Ahhhh.....a toady stamp-licker....

It's an ordinary 5-cent coin with surface discoloration. No value to a coin collector.

Built one when I was a kid -- including grinding a 10-inch mirror. Used the old Porter Stellafane (Amateur Telescope Making) books as a guide. Doing this kind of thing helps appreciate how difficult it was to produce the highest quality finish possible....much better than any camera lens.

Do you mean "L'or coq au vin a la Marianne" ?

You can buy the book and get much more minutiae and little extra cost -- plus a full CD of nano-minutiae right down to the molecules in a gnat's eyelash. OK--ok--the gnat part is a bit of hyperbole.