Trivia Question (Early Dollars)

[EVillageProwler]

Early Dollars aren't really that rare, in comparison to many of the other denominations using the pre-1808 design. Yet, many people simply love those most ancient of America's large cartwheels.

 

Going by date and major (Red Book) variety, someone is maintaining a comprehensive census of all known specimens of this coin. What coin is this, and who is the official keeper of this census?

 

Note: I am not talking about BB or Bol. varieties...

 

EVP

 

[keithdagen]

I would guess that someone is going after a census of the 1798 date.

[Coinosaurus]

Jack Collins did a census of 1794 dollars, but offhand I can't find a source for where his work was actually published. He's dead, so this doesn't answer the "actively maintained" part of the question!

 

A census of 1794 half dollars also exists, done by Robert Hilt & presented in part at the ANS Coinage of Americas Conference in 1986.

 

I fear this answer will not be sufficient for the free beer you didn't mention

[EVillageProwler]

Coin,

 

You got my answer. After I posted it, I realized that Jack Collins is deceased. I'm not sure who's maintaining the census now, but I'm guessing it's Dave Perkins on behalf og the JRCS. (Dave generally is the dollar census keeper for the JRCS.)

 

Regards,

 

EVP

 

[DonHeath]

EVP,

 

I've been doing lots of homework, but I don't think I'm ready to answer just yet. Give me a little while. The research is half the fun!

[EVillageProwler]

Don,

 

You should check out DWL's response to my earlier question on Bust Halves. DWL is one of very few people who were intimately involved in that question!

 

EVP