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Message:: [QUOTE="Clinker, post: 291196, member: 6229"]As you probably know the last United States regular issue Seated Liberty Silver Dollar was struck in early 1873 at the following mints: 1) Philadelphia (no mint mark) 293,000 business strikes/600 proofs2) Carson City (CC mint mark) 2,300 business strikesHere's an image of the Philly coin: (courtesy of coinfacts.com)<a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/silver_dollars/seated_liberty_dollars/1873_silver_dollar.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/silver_dollars/seated_liberty_dollars/1873_silver_dollar.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/silver_dollars/seated_liberty_dollars/1873_silver_dollar.htm</a>The Seated Liberty Dollar was replaced by the Trade Dollar later in 1873 as a medium of trade with China, Korea and Japan. Trade Dollars were not struck for circulation in the United States initially, but were legal tender for up to $5. Things changed, however, in 1876, when the price of silver spiraled downward as western producers dumped silver on the market, making the Trade Dollar worth more at face value than its silver content. That resulted in Trade Dollars pouring back into the United States, as they were bought for as little as the equivalent of 80 US cents in Asia, and were then spent at $1 in the United States. This prompted Congress to revoke their legal tender status, and restrict their coinage to exportation demand only. Production of the Trade Dollar was officially halted for business strikes in 1878, and thereafter from 1879-1885, produced only as proofs. The issues of 1884 and 1885 were produced surreptitiously, and were unknown to the collecting public until 1908. You will recognize this Trade Dollar (image courtesy of coinfacts.com) <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/silver_dollars/trade_dollars/1873_trade_dollar.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/silver_dollars/trade_dollars/1873_trade_dollar.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/silver_dollars/trade_dollars/1873_trade_dollar.htm</a> But, do you know what the Trade Dollar could have looked like?This design is the first Trade Dollar pattern. It uses Longacre's indian princess design with 22 stars on the flag. This was apparently implemented by William Barber as Longacre died in 1869 (image courtesy of uspaterns.com): NOTE: Instead of "Trade Dollar" on reverse, it states "Commercial Dollar" and has the grams and silver fineness below "Dollar"and "E Plurbis Unum" in scroll at bottom. Lots of differences on the obverse too: Location of Liberty, Freedom Cap on long pole held by Liberty, rolled banners behind Liberty, and what else do you see different? <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1861_21979" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1861_21979" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1861_21979</a> This next pattern Trade Dollar has the regular seated liberty obverse combined with the commmercial dollar reverse (image courtesy uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1886_7186283" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1886_7186283" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1886_7186283</a>  This next pattrern was Struck from William Barber's lower relief copy of the Longacre indian princess design. Note the obverse was struck with the regular "Trade Dollar" design (image courtesy of uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_14213698" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_14213698" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_14213698</a> The "Trade Dollar" could have been struck with this obverse and reverse (image courtesy of uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_15362719" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_15362719" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_15362719</a> ...or these ( "e pluribus unum" not in scroll) (image courtesy of uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_15431496" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_15431496" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_15431496</a> ...or these ("e pluribus unum" in scroll) (image courtesy of uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1866_30791" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1866_30791" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1866_30791</a>  ...and did you know the "Trade Dollar" could have had this Amazonian Liberty Head (facing right) obverse? (image courtesy uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1896_30853" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1896_30853" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1896_30853</a>  If you think you've seen all the possibilities, look at this pattern's reverse (image courtesy of uspatterns.com)): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_15636520" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_15636520" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_15636520</a>  Notice the "420 grains" and "900 fineness" in a continuous line on the reverse of this one.  <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_15850048" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_15850048" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_15850048</a>  This pattern's reverse has "420 Grains" in a line with a line reading "900 fine" in a separate line below, plus the motto "In God we trust" is on a ribbon at the lower center (image courtesy of uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16173694" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16173694" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16173694</a>  This next "Trade Dollar" pattern features a smaller "Trade" above a large "Dollar" in the upper center of the coin (image courtesy of uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16110561" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16110561" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16110561</a>  Just look at the size of the :Freedom Cap" and the "pole"! What other differences do you see? (image courtesy of Teletrade): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16314459" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16314459" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16314459</a>  On this one I'm letting you discover the differences all by yourself (image courtesy uspatterns): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16465026" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16465026" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16465026</a>    This next one's Seated Liberty obverse has no sheaves of wheat or flags behind her and no Freedom Cap on a pole (image courtesy uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16671446" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16671446" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_16671446</a>  This one is a regular dies trial piece. Those struck in copper and aluminum were deliberately struck for sale to collectors as part of complete off-metal sets. Those struck in white metal or tin, however, are believed to be true trial pieces. A letter dated July 11, 1873 from Mint Superintendent James Pollock to Mint Director Henry Linderman confirms this: "I send you a specimen of a trade dollar in tin struck today. We will commence the regular coinage of trade $ in a few hours. The enclosed will give you a tolerably correct idea of the silver dollar." Here's an image of the "tin" pattern (trial piece"): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1873_18160" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1873_18160" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1873_18160</a>  Here's the "copper" pattern ("trial piece") (image courtesy of uspatterns.com):  <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_84608786" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_84608786" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns</a><a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_84608786" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_84608786" rel="nofollow">_1794_84608786</a>The popular "Liberty at the Seashore" obverse combined with the Commercial Dollar reverse. This is believed to be a fantasy coin deliberately struck for sale to collectors (image courtesy of uspatterns,com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1892_18389" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1892_18389" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1892_18389</a>  The popular "Liberty at the seashore" obverse combined with the regular type I reverse with the berry under the eagle's claw. (image courtesy of uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_19097449" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_19097449" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_19097449</a>  Here's a pattern attributed to the year "1876," BUT!! Paquet's trade dollar design without date. The following is excerpted from the May 1999 Bass I sale and gives the reason for the this dateless pattern being struck in 1876. "For many years this coin, which bears no date, was included among patterns of 1873. However, Walter Breen has suggested that this may represent the result of the $600 paid to Anthony C. Paquet for hubs made in May, 1876. At that time some thought was given to redesigning the trade dollar, and Paquet, who had been working in the private sector for over a decade, was tapped to do the work on commission". Addition support for an 1876 mintage was found by Roger Burdette in the Mint Archives. "Pattern coin dies held by Coiner (Bosbyshell) on Dec 18, 1877: Trade Dollar dies – without date made by Paquet, 1 obverse and 1 reverse." (image courtesy uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1943_13246202" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1943_13246202" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1943_13246202</a> This one was struck on copper and is dated 1876! (photo courtesy of Heritage): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_86369377" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_86369377" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_86369377</a> As with most die trials made from the 1860s onward, this next piece was deliberately struck and presented to A.M. Smith who was the author of the Mint's Visitors Guide. Notice the date. (image courtesy uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_86433763" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_86433763" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_86433763</a> This last "Trade Dollar" pattern is probably the most desireous pattern to own. It is dated 1884 and struck in copper. As with most die trials made from the 1860s onward, these were deliberately struck. The two known examples were presented to the same A.M. Smith as was the 1888 dated coin presented before this one. (image courtesy uspatterns.com): <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_80257813" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_80257813" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_80257813</a> Do you think the right design was selected to strike the "Trade Dollar" or did you like one of the other designs better? Which one? Cllinker [/QUOTE]

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