Week #120 - Let's mix it up -

[Sarah]

Today's question comes courtesy of EVillageProwler..........

 

Question:

 

 

The 1836-dated Gobrecht dollars minted for circulation are normally categorized based on their die alignment. What is the official distinction for these specimens?

 

 

 

First post with the correct answer wins a copy of David Langes book The Complete Guide to Buffalo Nickels second edition!!

 

Don't forget, we also draw for a runner-up prize from all remaining posts with a correct answer.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

 

REMINDER: The Numisma-Quest ends/ended on Saturday at midnight EST. Entries after that time will not be valid. See the Trivia Info post for more details.

 

 

When you post your answer, only the administrators can see it. Stop back each Monday. We will make all the posts visible and announce the winners.

[gmarguli]

Coin alignment and medal alignment?

[ziggy29]

The "original" 1836 is die alignment I, with the eagle flying "onward and upward," if that's what you mean.

[Tradedollarnut]

Die alignment I is the 1836 issue, Die alignment IV is the 1837 issue.

 

Die alignment I is coin turn, onward and upward for the eagle. Die alignment IV is medal turn, eagle flying level.

[jhar]

My 53rd edition of the Redbook states that the 1836 Gobrecht Dollars were struck using dies oriented in "Coin" Alignment and "Medal" alignment.

 

"Coin" alignment has the reverse die inverted. "Medal" alignment has the reverse die upright.

[prooflike]

Die Alignment I - head of Liberty opposite DO of DOLLAR, eagle flying upward

 

Die Alignment II - head of Liberty opposite ES of STATES, eagle flying upward

 

Die Alignment III - head of Liberty N of ONE, eagle flying level

 

Die Alignment IV - head of Liberty opposite F of OF, eagle flying level

 

I & III are "coin orientation" and II and IV are "medal orientation"

[jtryka]

They have a reduced weight and a medal die allignment.

[JamminJ]

The coin aligned issues were struck in 1836 and the medal aligned issues were struck in 1837 (but dated 1836).

 

-JamminJ

[Hoot]

The true 1836 circulation strikes have a normal coin alignment such that one views the obverse and reverse upright by flipping the coin over a horizontal axis. Most of these coins are also 416 grains. The 1837 coins (dates 1836) are 412.5 grains and have a medallic alignment such that one views the obverse and reverse upright by flipping the coin around a vertical axis.

 

Nice question!

 

Hoot

[Hoot]

Hey, did I answer late enough?

 

Hoot

[truthteller]

medal alignment and coin alignment.

 

 

TRUTH

[chrisfuccione]

I have a feeling that you want the answer to be a pattern but here is a link that disputes that.idea. CHRIS

 

http://store.yahoo.com/uspatterns/j60.html

[DWLange]

Hi gang! I'm just back from teaching at the ANA Seminar, and I'm reading this question for the first time. It seems to me that there are at least two correct answers, since the question is not very specific. For that reason we will award the prizes to the first two responses, which are among the correct ones. Therefore, the winner this week is gmarguli, with ziggy29 as runner up.

 

Congratulations to both!

[Sarah]

Thanks to Dave for helping out with that one! - Both gmarguli and ziggy29 will get the brand-new-hot-off-the-presses NGC US Coins Census Book for July 2004. Thanks for playing.

 

Oh By the way, the "Official" answer given to us by EVillageProwler was:

 

Answer: Struck in 12/1836, the weight was 416 grains, fineness .8924 silver. Struck in 3/1837, the weight was 412.5 grains, fineness .900 silver.

 

-However, as Dave mentioned, and as is evident in the responses we received, the question was just quite specific enough.

 

-Check back next week!

[ziggy29]

Ah, I get it.

 

It sounds like the original question's intent was to state the *specifications* of the 1836 original Gobrecht die alignment.

 

Anyway, woo-hoo!