A die list w/coin averages - 1887

[RWB]

Here's an 1887 die list for Philadelphia including average pieces struck per pair.

 

 

Not as old as denga's 1851, but shows the gradual increase in information.

[DaveG]

Thanks for posting that, Roger!

 

By the way, for those who aren't looking at their Red Books, the coins per die pair number for the double eagles and half eagles aren't unusually small - 1887 was a year of very low mintage for those two coins at the Philadelphia Mint; a proof-only year for both denominations, in fact.

[NPCoin]

Interesting piece of history you have there.

 

In the book A Numismatic History and Analysis: Type Three Double Eagles, Fuljenz/Winter state that the reverse die is the same used for the 1886 proofs evidenced by a matching break in the die. It makes one wonder how many years such a die would had been used in the proof productions. Too bad they didn't evidence the year the dies used for the double and half eagles were made.

[jpcienkus]

That's a cool document Roger!

 

Where do you get these interesting pieces of mint history?

 

 

[DWLange]

The figure of 372,000 or so for standard dollars certainly explains why so many Morgans, particularly those of the Philadelphia Mint, are so blurry. That was way too many strikes to produce satisfactory coins, and the Mint's desperation in coining the mandated silver dollars is obvious.

 

It was noted that several gold denominations had very small mintages that made the numbers of strikes per die irrelevant. The figures for some other denominations are also misleading as to typical die life. The mintages for 1887 3CN, 25C and 50C were unnaturally small that year, as no additional coins were needed for circulation. The Mint just produced enough pieces to meet the demand from collectors and those giving gifts.

[RWB]

The small quantities of circulation quarters and halves were produced intentionally to prevent price speculation by collectors of the time. (See 1887 mint report.) That satisfied collectors, as David Lange noted.

 

Notice also the use of "Obverse" and "Reverse" versus the terms "Heads" and "Tails" in the 1851 list in denga's post

[johnny9434]

agreed, it is a way cool piece of history

[mhomei]

that is sweet!!!

109 dies WOW, THANKS FOR SHARING