Found an 1896 Bryan Dollar

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by bqcoins, Jul 17, 2016.

  1. bqcoins

    bqcoins Olympic Figure Skating Scoring System Expert

    Was at the coin shop, had just stopped in to see if there was anything new. It seems the summer months are slow and the pickings get slim, so I try to stretch out my visits further apart in hopes that something will have turned up. So I walk in, say hello to the owner and start browsing the case. A closed token medal case with a label from an old time dial a letter label maker is stuck to the outside that said Apollo Soyuz.
    I inquired, the owner told me it was some silver thing...1.7oz of bullion. I asked to see it, and opened it up. It didn't say Apollo or Soyuz or anything related. What I saw was this.
    IMGP3896.JPG IMGP3897.JPG
    I thought perhaps it was something older than apollo and I remembered Bryan in the election of 1896 going on about the silver standard and silverbugs, etc. I took a chance, asked for a price. The owner took it out, looked at it again, weighed it and upped the price, not significantly from the bullion price for what he figured was 53.3g.

    Once I got it home I started my research. turns out this is a So Called Dollar (HK-780) struck by Gorham Manufacturing Company, Silversmiths in 1896 for the William Jennings Bryan presidential campaign showing the difference in a silver dollar struck by the government and the gold dollar in use at the time. Pretty rare, and all the completed listing I can find on Heritage and others show that this commands well beyond bullion value.

    Obv. In nine lines, first and last curved, others straight, A Government Dollar Contains / 412 1/2 Grains / Coin Silver 900/1000 Fine / This Piece Contains / 823 Grains Coin Silver / In Value the Equivalent of / One Gold Dollar / Sept. 16th 1896. / Gorham Mfg. Co., Silversmiths. No rim.
    Rev. On rim of cartwheel, which springs from bottom edge, Size of Government Dollar Containing 412 1/2 Grains of Silver 900/1000 Fine; no rim.
    Silver. 52mm. Schornstein 6. R-5 Rating.

    It was a lucky day.
     
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  3. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    That is nice piece of history.
    In great shape too.
     
  4. H8_modern

    H8_modern Attracted to small round-ish art

    That's how I got mine too. Not as nice as yours but a lot better than the $52 I paid at the time. Congrats on a cool find.

    [​IMG]
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  5. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    That is a mighty fine piece you bought. One in the best condition I've seen in a long, long time. You might want to have it authenticated. ;)
     
  6. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    A fine piece of history you fellows have ther...............:)
     
  7. Duke Kavanaugh

    Duke Kavanaugh The Big Coin Hunter

    Love it!
    What a great find.
    I've been wanting on of these for awhile but don't want to pay too much.
     
    Ericred likes this.
  8. Nevadabell

    Nevadabell A picture of me.

    That thing looks huge...I wonder what would've happened had Bryan gotten his way. We'd have to have jumbo-size PCGS and NGC holders for silver dollars.
     
  9. brandon spiegel

    brandon spiegel Brandon Spiegel

  10. Treashunt

    Treashunt The Other Frank

  11. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    You got that for a little over BULLION value!! First, I hate you. :) Second, don't you love it when a "professional" has no clue what he has? I would have been struggling to hold off the heart attack while calmly and casually got out the money and paid him what he asked for it.
     
  12. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    Love it..........:)
     
  13. illini420

    illini420 1909 Collector

    Getting one of those for under $100 is a steal. Well done!
     
  14. USS656

    USS656 Here to Learn Supporter

    LOL - I think that's the most emotion I have seen in a post from you for as long as I've been here. You must realllly like it, that said, what's not to like! :)
     
  15. bqcoins

    bqcoins Olympic Figure Skating Scoring System Expert

    I do love it. But I was feeling it that day so I worked a high grade 36d Washington quarter into the deal and a Hawaiian statehood token for my son.
     
  16. mark_h

    mark_h Somewhere over the rainbow

  17. Brett_in_Sacto

    Brett_in_Sacto Well-Known Member

    The history behind the Bryan dollar is actually directly related to how we view silver and gold today. He was running against Roosevelt who was for the gold standard and Bryan was against and considered the silver standard more "of the people" as he put it. I still have yet to put one in my collection - but someday.

    Ultimately the gold standard did win. I have a propaganda coin/token from the other side of the fight.

    The token has a switch that takes it between the "gold" and "silver" standards. One shows the gold standard - Mack and Teddy (McKinley & Roosevelt) saying "I'm All Right" and the Eagle stands proud on the token (resembles coin).

    Flip the lever, the bird is "showing you it's rear" and it makes some derogatory statements about Bryan and his mate - and showing the theoretical devaluation of silver.

    I even found the original patent.

    I love to share this thing!
    20140713_184711_resized.jpg 20140713_184730_resized.jpg 20140713_184810_resized.jpg 20140713_184829_resized.jpg US Patent filed 7-27-1897 - USD27421-0.png
     
  18. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    Haven't seen the patent before, but I have seen the "token".
     
    Brett_in_Sacto likes this.
  19. bqcoins

    bqcoins Olympic Figure Skating Scoring System Expert

    That is a sweet piece.
     
  20. Jennifer Reed

    Jennifer Reed New Member

    I have one in my hand. I saw it on the movie DEAR JOHN and he laid a silver dollar over it. I thought, “I have both those coins upstairs.” Sure enough I do. My grandfather gave them, and many other coins to me. Never realized what I had. Both are 1896.
     
  21. Jennifer Reed

    Jennifer Reed New Member

    7B264A4C-1707-4671-ADCB-4948FE397A5A.jpeg These are mine. One Bryan and one Morgan.
     
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