VAMWorld 2.0

Good to see the research materials are helpful. There are many opportunities to discover and learn. [You might send a nice note of appreciation to NNP for providing and hosting US Mint documents.] RWB PS: The B&W pages with dark horizontal bands are photocopies I made about 15-20 years ago. At the ...

By March 19th the problem with stacking (thickness) has been resolved. The right reverse die was being used. Note the response. (Click image to view at higher resolution.) http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/w/images/3/38/1879-S_March_Letter_SF_Dies_-_Page_1.png http://ec2-13-58-...

This is how it all started. The first order is San Francisco's first order for 1879-S Dies. Note the high number of Obverse dies and the low number of Reverse dies. The second letter is the second order for 1879-S Dies and the complaint of the 1879-S Dies (3rd Rev) stacking higher than the 1878-S Re...

Mint regulation 3550 did not require any dies to be returned just the Obverse dies destroyed. Wonder if this changed in 1880?

When you add in the die life and usage table (shown below) for 1878 it all makes sense. (Click image to view at higher resolution.) http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/w/images/e/ea/1878-S_Total_Obverse_Reverse_Dies_Page_1.jpg http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.c...

Roger, This is what I am talking about. See the lot/batch numbers shown below. (Click image to view at higher resolution.) http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/w/images/6/61/1878-S_December_Die_Usage_Page_1.jpg http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/w/images/8/8a/...

Nice ! These are from RG104 E-1 General Correspondence. Also check E-235 Vols 17 and 18 for additional correspondence. Further: January 8, 1879 Hon. H. R. Linderman Director of the Mint Washington, D.C. Sir: I have the honor to state that there is required in addition to my requisition of October 1...

Longstrider wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:58 pm

I so enjoy reading these old correspondences you post. Thanks!

My 1900-S die study was on pause for just a bit and I decided to take a walk back in time to see what I could dig up. Really enjoy doing this. When I have the time.

Add this fact into the mix that the first two die shipments for 1879 had 5 fewer reverse dies. The letter on the left is the first shipment for 1879 and the letter on the right is for the second shipment. (Click image to view at higher resolution.) http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws...

This very well could be the real story behind the 1879-S Reverse of 1878. The first letter is from Coiner Col. O. C. Bosbyshell to the Superintendent of the Philadelphia Mint addressing the complaint from the Superintendent of the San Francisco Mint about the new Morgan Dollar Reverse die (a stack o...

Received mine in the mail today. Very nice. Good job Rob.
Wayne

The next four letters were eye opening. The first letter on the left tells about the problems the San Francisco Mint was having with the new Morgan Dollar dies. Things got so bad that the Philadelphia Mint trained a guy on the hardening of dies and transfer him to the San Francisco Mint. Once there ...

A couple more interesting letters. Check out the Coinage Report for April, 1878. Note the number of Reverse dies used. (Click image to view at higher resolution.) http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/w/images/b/b4/April_Coinage_4_30_1878_-_Page_679.png http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-e...

Couple more interesting letters. The letter on the left is about the first shipment of dies to the San Francisco and Carson City Mints. The second letter explains the difference between the first Reverse hub design (8TF) and the second Reverse hub design. Note: there is nothing said about the eight ...

A couple more interesting letters. The letter on the left is when the first Morgan Dollar Die was approved (March 1st, 1878). The letter on the right is from William Barber and it contains his objection to sending the new dies to the Western Mints. This letter is a little different than what can be ...

Found this very interesting letter to the Superintendent of the Philadelphia Mint from George Morgan. Looks like this might be when the 1878-P 7/8 TF Dies were created. What do you think? The letter is a little hard to read.

Am I reading the page on the left incorrectly, or does it say the listed obverse dies were all destroyed (defaced) in New Orleans and the reverse dies were shipped back to Philly? You are reading it correct. Mint regulation 3550 requires all working Obverse dies of each mint at the end of each cale...

Shown below on the left is the lot/batch numbers of the 100 die pairs sent to the New Orleans Mint in 1900. The photo on the right shows the total number of dies returned to the Philadelphia Mint on January 5th, 1901. Clearly, when you have 24 reverse dies returned and only one obverse die returned....

If die records for the Engraving Department existed, it might be possible to match left-over CC dies to those sent to New Orleans - every die was tracked even when it was renumbered. But those records seem to be missing. We have to work with what is available, and do what is possible to gradually i...

What year are you looking at?