All copper Gobrecht dollars have die alignment III and were struck using a plain edge collar. No reeded edge copper specimens exist. This is an error in Adams & Woodin which, unfortunately, was repeated by Judd. I believe these were struck later than the 1859 timeframe often listed for these. I believe they were struck circa 1874-1876 when such coins as the 1801-3 proof dollars, the 1827 quarter restrikes both in silver and copper, the 1851-1853 copper restrikes and the pattern trade dollars with the reverse of 1859 were produced. It is likely from the die states that they were all struck at the same time. One of the Chapman brothers mentions this circa 1874-1880 timeframe as well - see lot 1005 of Bowers and Merena's Champa II library sale, which mentions Snowden and Thatcher in connection with some 1838 Gobrecht dollars.

Editors note: Thacher (only one T) was a clerk at the Mint in the late 1860s per some documents in the Mint Archives - thanks Roger Burdette !

All of these with the reverse of 1836 show a raised die mark (rust?) between the left and right base of the "A" in "States" and have die cracks through "NITED STATES O" and "OLLA". Those with the reverse of 1838 show reverse die cracks through "MERIC" and "NITE", a small raised die spur from upper curve of "D" in "United" into field and a depression in the field below and to the right of the "F" in "OF" from something adhering to the die.

1) Haseltine 2/1877 lot 557? (first occurrence for any copper Gobrecht - ex Idler?), Parmelee 6/1890 lot 26, Woodside 4/1892, Woodin-1914 ANS

2) Scott & Co 12/1878 lot 609?, Gschwend 6/08 lot C, Brand #44161

later listings include Wharton-Stacks 10/45 lot 1627 same as #2?, Farouk-Sotheby’s 2/54 lot 1716 same as #1 ?

1) B/R 6/75 lot 1260 at $6000 later to C. Smith of San Clemente California (per Coin World classified section), B/M 7/02 at $62,100. New York collection - PCGS64RB - illustrated above

2) Farouk-Sotheby’s 2/54 lot 1716, Turoff-B/M 3/94 lot 1454 at $11,000 as PCGS60RB, Stacks 7/08 - PCGS61RB cleaned, illustrated below

Note: No originals exist from this obverse die in silver or copper despite Breen & Julian believing that they do. All specimens seen have strong die breaks through the reverse letters as described by Breen and in Pollock.

This reverse or the reverse of 1838 shows some die rust by the right reverse pellet after Dollar per Dave Novoselsky.

J62/P67

1) Parmelee 6/1890 lot 25, Earle 6/12 lot 2193 ?, Jackson 5/13 lot 1525 ?

2) Gschwend 6/08 lot B, Brand #44160

later listings include Olsen 11/44 lot 1 and/or Farouk-Sotheby’s 2/54 lot 1714, Baldenhofer

1) 67 ANA lot 1919, Hughes 7/80 lot 110 at $12,250, Southern collection, Simpson collection - PCGS65RB - illustrated above

2) New York collection - PCGS64RB with die rust removed and coin recolored - possibly same as above

It is possible that the Earle and/or Jackson listings belong to another specimen.

See also Bolt-Stacks 4/66 lot 1610 at $410 described as XF & struck on a porous planchet (possibly an electro with plating removed ?)

Note: Electrotypes do exist - see Rarcoa’s N.M. Kaufman sale for an example.

This obverse die shows rust in the left obverse field in front of Liberty’s face possibly the ‘scratch’ described on the Olsen example.

J64/P64

1) Parmelee 6/1890 lot 27, Reed, OCL-WHM

2) Austin Collection, Kagin 11/74 lot 1860, 77 ANA lot 2072, Auction 90 lot 880 at $22,000, B/M 7/02 at $55,200, New York collection - PCGS64RB - illustrated above

3) Hughes 1/80 lot 55, Superior 1/86 lot 1191 at $14,300, D. Novoselsky, NY Dealer, B/M 8/95 lot 484 (not sold), ANR 3/04 lot 1159 - PCGS65RED illustrated below

Photo courtesy of American Numismatic Rarities.

This coin has been dipped sometime between the 1986 & 1995 sales to eliminate some of the spotting per D. Novoselsky.

One of these is Curtis 2/50 lot 1027 and/or Farouk-Sotheby’s 2/54 lot 1718

Note: All of these show a lint mark? on the reverse below and to the right of the letter "F" in "OF".

J66/P69

Unconfirmed - probably doesn’t exist !!

J87/P96

1) Parmelee 6/1890 lot 30, Reed, OCL-WHM - illustrated above

2) Gschwend 6/08 lot D, Brand #44162, Farouk-Sotheby’s 2/54 lot 1724, Harmer Rooke 11/69 lot 3740, Stacks 12/94 lot 1085 at $22,000, Sotheby’s 6/96 at $16,500, B/M 1/97 at $14,300 as NGC63BN, Stacks 1/08 as PCGS63RB at $529,000, New York collection - cleaned, hairlined, retoned and illustrated below.

J89/P99

1) Gschwend 6/08 lot E, Brand #44163, Farouk-Sotheby’s 2/54 lot 1722, Heritage 3/88 lot 2281 at $6325, Heritage 9/88 lot 1870 at $6930, Auction 89 lot 672 at $11,000, B/M 1/99 lot 299 at $27,600 as NGC63BN, New York collection - cleaned, retoned - illustrated above

J107/P119

1) Gschwend 6/08 lot F, Brand #44164, Farouk-Sotheby’s 2/54 lot 1729, Kagin 10/66 lot 1595, Kagin 5/69 lot 212, Kagin 9/72 lot 50, private collection, illustrated above

1) Gschwend 6/08 lot G, Brand #44165, Opezzo-Stacks 8/41 lot 1791, Judd-Illustrated History #126, Kaplan & Kosoff FPL’s late 1960’s, not seen in many years.

The Gschwend-Brand pedigrees are per Joseph C. Mitchelson’s named copy of that sale in my possession and were confirmed against the Brand Journals in the ANS on 12/30/97.