You know Morgan designed the Silver Dollar minted in 1878 and you know the obverse and reverse designs selected AND you know the composition. You, also, know there were two reverses (7 tail feathers, 8 tail feathers), but do you know what other designs were proposed for the Silver Dollar and the composition they might have been? I'm talking about the "Pattern Dollars" produced from 1878 through1880. I'm sure you know "Pattern Dollars" were struck in copper, silver, aluminum, lead and white metal, but do you know some were struck in Goloid? Goloid is an alloy of silver, gold and copper patented by Dr. William Wheeler Hubbell on May 22, 1877 (U.S. patent #191,146). The patent specifies 1 part gold (about 3.6%), 24 parts silver (about 87.3%), and 2.5 parts copper (about 9.1%, all by weight); however, the patent also states that "The proportions may be slightly varied" and goes on to specify that the silver portion can range from 20 times to 30 times that of the gold, and the copper could range from one-eighth to one-twelfth (from 12.5% to 8.33%) of the total mixture. The patent specifies that the metals be separately melted, then mixed, along with "sodium sulphate or potassium sulphate" in the amount of one part sulfate to one thousand parts metal. The alloy, in varying proportions (sometimes slightly out of these specifications), was used by the United States Mint to strike pattern dollars, sometimes called "metric dollars" (some were marked with "metric" in the coin design). In the end, Goloid was rejected as a coinage metal because it could not be distinguished from the normal U.S. 90% silver coin alloy without chemical analysis, thus inviting counterfeiters to use silver-copper alloys alone to make lower-value copies. This trivia covers only " what-might-have-been" Goloid Pattern Dollars. Hope you enjoy (most photos courtesy of uspatterns.com): This first Goloid Dollar was designed by Charles E. Barber (Barber Dimes, Quarters and Half Dollars). Its Judd Number is J1557: http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_7484617. This 2nd Goloid Dollar of 1878 is listed by Judd as J1562. This design is considered the highest polished Dollar created: http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_7964370 Shown next is Barber's third design for 1878 (Judd 1653): http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_8259261 This pattern Dollar designed by William Barber is thought to have been executed by Barber's son, Charles. Judd 1617 (This is a "metric Dollar" design): http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_17957315 NOTE: The obverse on the "metric Dollar" (Large Head) is similar to the one used on the $50 Half Union patterns. Here's a bonus to this Trivia (Judd 1548): http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_5262787 This Dollar pattern was designed by Morgan and is considered by many to be one of the uglier designs struck by our mint: Judd 1622: http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_18162310 This one uses William Barber's obverse of 1878, but changes the reverse (100 Cents). Judd 1629: http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_18269139 This one features George T. Morgan's coiled hair design similar to the design used on $4 Gold Stellas. Judd 1633: http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_18391516 As a bonus to you here's the $4 Gold Stella mentioned: http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_19254671 And now for the Goloid PatternDollars of 1880: Judd 1645: http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_20977512 Judd 1648: http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_21154378 Judd1651: http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_21328423 This one (Judd 1656) is a repeat of Morgan's Coiled hair design used in 1879: http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_2009_21519280 NOTE: All patterns pictured in this trivia are really Essais! Surprised? I hope so.... Clinker
kidromeo A "GOOD DAY" to you kidromeo. Thanks for your comment AND "THANKS" for the "Post of the week" nomination... Clinker
You burst my bubble. I thought my gold silver copper coin idea was original. idn't know you had to add other chemicals though. Thanks for the info.
Hello all, i'm new to this forum and joined today. I have come across some coins and doing research and that is how i found this site. It seems that some of the coins are pattern coins that i have found. Are they pattern coins worth something? Thank you
However, these and others are available for viewing at the Pattern Collectors website, www.uspatterns.com The site is run by Saul Teichman who did the technical research for the new edition of United States Pattern Coins by Dr. J. Hewitt Judd, ed. Q. David Bowers, 10th ed, 2009, 341 pages, $39.95. For most of us, this lovely and affordable book must stand in for the Seated Cent, the Amazonian Patterns, the Schoolgirl, and the Martha Washington Dollar of 1999 that we will never own.
To mmarotta: Been a long time since this article was posted, but I thank you for the addendum.. Clinker
Typically, they are outside the price range of most collectors. They sell in the thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. One reason is sheer rarity. Many of these are unique. Most are known in only in single digits. The other reason is desireability. Typically struck one-up under the direct supervision of the engraver or Mint Superintendent, they tend to be truly perfect without the hokey look of a "cameo." And they tell the story of how the circulating coins came to be. Even the ones that never became circulating coins demonstrate the evolution of the elements -- the Liberty, Eagle, mottoes -- found on the regular issues.
thanks for the response, i'm getting the feeling that the ones i have may be replicas. however, they are not marked anyway copy or replica...i may take one to coin dealer to check them out. would be great if they were authentic
The Chinese have been putting out a group of counterfeit pattern trade dollars, most notably the Seated Liberty with globe version.
yes, I'm learning that :\ turns out that all the coins are fake, after doing some reading on how to test if a coin is silver or not using the magnet and sound test; all the coins fail.
Any "rare" coin, pattern or not, should be authenticated. And, remember, there's different kinds of patterns (essais, trial sttikes, probas, piedforts, etc.).
1878 Goloid Pattern Dollar I own (2) of these. What are they worth? Minted in New Orleans in 1978 Read more: http://www.cointalk.com/t40204-2/#post870461#ixzz0lyJVh8NL
First question, is are you sure they are real? See my post three above yours. Do you have pictures? What does it weigh?
