
Search found 800 matches
- Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:24 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
Thank you to all who responded to my request !


- Fri Jul 01, 2022 9:13 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
These three might help. The April coinage report has not been located. It should have been in E-229 among several boxes that contained only SF letters and documents. The May-June report is from one of those boxes and shows the quantities of good pieces struck from each numbered die. (Usually, such t...
- Thu Jun 30, 2022 11:31 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
OK. Thank you!
- Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:10 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
That is what I understood. Where did this come from: "We also know that the VAM 57 and 26 used the same reverse." This statement clearly says VAM 26 and 57 used the same ("identical')reverse....or is that supposed to refer the the REV HUB design not the specific die? BTW -- the following from the SF...
- Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:07 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
RE: "We do know that one that was used and condemned was the VAM 60 obverse. We also know that the VAM 57 and 26 used the same reverse." Wait a minute....in one place I'm told the VAM 60 reverse was not used with any but the one obverse die. Also, that the obverse was paired with several other reve...
- Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:06 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
RE: "We do know that one that was used and condemned was the VAM 60 obverse. We also know that the VAM 57 and 26 used the same reverse." Wait a minute....in one place I'm told the VAM 60 reverse was not used with any but the one obverse die. Also, that the obverse was paired with several other rever...
- Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:00 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
The "Five standard dollars of this coinage" merely means Linderman wants 5 coins from those currently being made up to that date -- i.e., "Don't make anything special." This is a common request and is also used in relation to selecting Annual Assay coins and Special Assay pieces. There are multiple ...
- Wed Jun 29, 2022 1:09 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
Permit me to state up front that "die progressions" involve a lot of assumptions and I really do not pay much attention to them. Here are a few facts and I leave it to you and other dedicated specialists to take things from there. Dodge received 10 pairs on the 16th. His next batch of 15 arrived on ...
- Tue Jun 28, 2022 7:18 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
The Ajax toggle press in use on the 17th produced the same pressure regardless of how it was activated -- manually or by power belt. (This was an immense advantage of Peale's 1836 design.) It would be wasteful and pointless to take the time to adjust the spacing wedge - which had to be tested every ...
- Tue Jun 28, 2022 6:26 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
RE: "So Dodge authorized that the die pair of Vam 58 were to be polished up and the first five were sent to Linderman. The progression for this run is as follow: Vam 58, Vam 56 and finally Vam 62. Here is one of the other 5 ( I believe) that was sent to Director Linderman." This might be true, but t...
- Tue Jun 28, 2022 1:59 am
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
OK. Simple answer w/o footnotes. Dies received late April 16. First coins struck afternoon of April 17. Ten (approx) for distribution, then rest run at power until reverse die broke just short of 1,000 pieces. Only coins from this die pair, called VAM-60, were made the first day. No other coins shar...
- Mon Jun 27, 2022 11:32 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S VAM 60 shared reverse
- Replies: 6
- Views: 152
Re: 1878-S VAM 60 shared reverse
Thanks! Doing a bit of false "attribution" squishing and needed some expert details. 

- Mon Jun 27, 2022 8:45 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S VAM 60 shared reverse
- Replies: 6
- Views: 152
Re: 1878-S VAM 60 shared reverse
Thanks all. That is what I understood, but wanted to be sure my info was accurate. BTW -- There were no "interns" etc. at the SF Mint doing die hardening. Responsibility for poor die life was quickly fixed on Thomas Scott, an old hand at San Francisco who hardened dies, and was considered not up to ...
- Mon Jun 27, 2022 6:33 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S VAM 60 shared reverse
- Replies: 6
- Views: 152
1878-S VAM 60 shared reverse
Do any VAMS besides 1878-S VAM 60 share the identical reverse die?
At the SF Mint only 2 reverse and 7 obverse dies were usable out of 10 of each received on the 16th.
Thanks!
At the SF Mint only 2 reverse and 7 obverse dies were usable out of 10 of each received on the 16th.
Thanks!
- Thu Jun 23, 2022 5:43 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
Your research should have taken you back to this thread ATS:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussio ... gan-dollar
https://forums.collectors.com/discussio ... gan-dollar
- Fri Jun 17, 2022 2:31 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
Re: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
Hint: Work in chronological order.
- Fri Jun 17, 2022 1:40 am
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 610
1878-S dollar. Can you separate fact from fiction?
Here's a good test of critical thinking abilities. List the facts; list the assertions; list the falsehoods; list the Santa Claus list.
See how well you do.
https://forums.collectors.com/discussio ... gan-dollar
See how well you do.

https://forums.collectors.com/discussio ... gan-dollar
- Sat Jun 11, 2022 9:50 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1921 Peace dollar
- Replies: 10
- Views: 344
Re: 1921 Peace dollar
The "up and down" version is interesting, too.Longstrider wrote: ↑Sat Jun 11, 2022 7:36 pmI find the discussion and back and forth on these coins very interesting. Thanks.![]()

- Sat Jun 11, 2022 4:21 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: Is this die polishing?
- Replies: 3
- Views: 159
Re: Is this die polishing?
The final step in die manufacture was a dip in acid to remove "fire scale" from final hardening and tempering. Working dies were not normally polished before first use unless there was a lingering defect.
- Sat Jun 11, 2022 4:11 pm
- Forum: Discussion Forum
- Topic: 1921 Peace dollar
- Replies: 10
- Views: 344
Re: 1921 Peace dollar
Hi Roger… What do you grade this coin? The condition might be AU or Unc depending on wear that is difficult to show in a photo. It's numerical "grade" depends entirely on how the surfaces compare to the same coin without scrapes, nicks or other marks. The photos suggest Unc-62 or 63 maximum. 1921 d...