No Die Polish On Standing Libertys

[dimefreak]

I was reading a letter from Hermon MacNeil to the Director of the Mint. In the letter it states.

 

"In the production of the dies, the former director of the Mint, Mr. Wooley, was anxious to have the coins left as they came from the sculptors hands, without rubbing or burnishing on the backround of the dies and so far as we can see, there is no reason why this should not be done, although, Mr. barber seems always very anxious to rub down the backround as much as possible which gives the coin a very unpleasant and metallic look."

 

It didn't hit me really until I read this that the Standing Liberty Obverse is really the only coin ever made that didnt have "fields".

 

So I got two questions:

 

#1 Was Mr. MacNeil taking a shot at Mr. Barber?

 

#2 Do you think that if this letter wasn't sent Mr Barber would have created some interesting designs by burnishing parts of the background?

[RWB]

The first pattern dimes, quarters and halves of 1916 had polished fields much like the standard used on collector's proof coins of the time. These first dies were only partially hardened and the mirrors were not very good. Neither McNeil nor Weinman liked the mirror surface and both complained to director Woolley.

 

Barber's motivation for polishing these was likely to see what normal collector's proofs might look like. He did not do this on the 1915 PPIE patterns and experimental pieces.

 

The mint was not "into" making cute stuff to pull down a price back then - just to make something special for collectors.

 

I you will buy a copy of Renaissance of American Coinage 1916-1921 you will find answers to most of your questions about the 1916 and 1921 designs.

 

 

 

[dimefreak]

The first pattern dimes, quarters and halves of 1916 had polished fields much like the standard used on collector's proof coins of the time. These first dies were only partially hardened and the mirrors were not very good. Neither McNeil nor Weinman liked the mirror surface and both complained to director Woolley.

 

Barber's motivation for polishing these was likely to see what normal collector's proofs might look like. He did not do this on the 1915 PPIE patterns and experimental pieces.

 

The mint was not "into" making cute stuff to pull down a price back then - just to make something special for collectors.

 

I you will buy a copy of Renaissance of American Coinage 1916-1921 you will find answers to most of your questions about the 1916 and 1921 designs.

 

 

 

I only buy signed books

[KeyMan64]

The first pattern dimes, quarters and halves of 1916 had polished fields much like the standard used on collector's proof coins of the time. These first dies were only partially hardened and the mirrors were not very good. Neither McNeil nor Weinman liked the mirror surface and both complained to director Woolley.

 

Barber's motivation for polishing these was likely to see what normal collector's proofs might look like. He did not do this on the 1915 PPIE patterns and experimental pieces.

 

The mint was not "into" making cute stuff to pull down a price back then - just to make something special for collectors.

 

I you will buy a copy of Renaissance of American Coinage 1916-1921 you will find answers to most of your questions about the 1916 and 1921 designs.

 

 

 

I only buy signed books

[RWB]

Signed copies are available from Wizard Coin Supply.

 

(Copies with words AND pictures are extra...)