Click to enlargeJ678/P757

Although described as regular dies trial pieces, these were actually deliberately struck for sale to collectors as part of complete off-metal sets.

Examples were struck as follows: To see available images, click here.

Copper J678/P757 with fewer than a half dozen known including:

1) Simpson-Heritage 2/21, Bourne - PCGS66RB

2) Ivy 12/76?, Simpson-Heritage 1/11 FUN as PCGS63BN, StacksBowers 4/11 as PCGS63BN, Heritage 8/11, StacksBowers 11/11, Heritage 1/12 FUN, Heritage 10/12, Heritage 7/13, Heritage 11/13, Heritage 1/14 FUN, Heritage 3/14, Bourne - PCGS64BN

3) Patrick Mint privately, Bourne - PCGS63BN

4) Heritage 11/03 - PCGS64RB

5) Crouch-Superior 6/77?, Heritage 8/95 ANA, Heritage 1/97 FUN - PCGS63RB, with a couple of obverse spots, same as #4 ?

One of these is ex Brenner-1914 ANS, Brand

Aluminum J679/P758 with fewer than a half dozen known including:

1) Col Green, Newman, EPNNES-Heritage 4/13, Heritage 11/14, Heritage 1/16 FUN - NGC67

2) Simpson-Heritage 9/20, Bourne - PCGS66

3) NERCA 7/79 ANA part of set ?, Hughes privately, Bourne - PCGS66

4) Kagin's 1977 ANA part of set, Stacks 11/06 - PCGS65

5) Simpson-Heritage 1/11 FUN - PCGS63

The Brand collection had 2 of these, one as part of a complete 1869 aluminum proof set and another ex Brenner-1914 ANS purchased in 1919.

The Lohr collection had examples of both.

Note: There is also an example in nickel which is described as being struck on a broad planchet. It appears in several Kagin's sales as early as their 5/50 and 10/51 sales and into the 1970s and was illustrated in their July 1975 sale. It is not known if it is just a broadstruck mint error or some kind of die trial.

Photo courtesy of PCGS.