Heritage Auctions - The 1804 Plain 4 eagle in silver, Judd-34, is a rare and historically important issue in the pattern series. These patterns were originally struck as die trials for the 1804 Plain 4 proof eagles in the diplomatic presentation sets issued in 1834. The sets were presented to various foreign rulers, including the King of Siam, to help with foreign trade negotiations.
Only four examples of Judd-34 are known to collectors today. Heritage Auctions is privileged to present the second-finest example of this early pattern rarity in this important offering.
DesignResearch by John Dannreuther reveals that the obverse die for Judd-34 was actually an unused die for the Capped Bust Right eagle from the 1800-1804 time period. The date was left incomplete in this earlier time frame, with just the first three digits impressed. When the die was needed to strike the proof eagles in 1834, it was polished and reworked to remove rust and decay and the final digit was added, using a Plain 4 punch from a set of half dollar punches in use at the Mint in 1834. Until recent times, numismatists believed the Judd-34 obverse die was specially made from scratch in 1834, because a die line in Liberty's hair that shows on Capped Bust Right eagles from 1800-1804 is not visible on the 1804 Plain 4 eagles from the presentation proof sets. This was convincing evidence that a new bust punch had been made to impress a new die for use in 1834. However, using computer overlays to compare the portrait on the 1804 Plain 4 eagles with the portrait on the earlier Capped Bust Right coins, Dannreuther found the major features were virtually identical. It would have been impossible to duplicate the punch so precisely with the limited technology of those times. Further investigation revealed that the four silver die trials had a discernible emission sequence. Each one showed differing degrees of die rust as the clean-up process progressed from one trial to the next. The die line in Liberty's hair was gradually polished away with each proceeding trial until it vanished altogether.
In a cross-denominational switch reminiscent of some early quarter eagle reverse dies that were also used to strike early dimes, the reverse die for Judd-34 was actually an unused half dollar reverse from 1806. By comparing dentil counts and using computer overlays, Bill Nyberg and Bryce Brown confirmed the reverse die was manufactured using the same master die that was used to produce half dollar dies in the 1805-1807 time frame. Bill Nyberg further narrowed the date of production by noting the broken foot on the F in OF, a feature that only shows on half dollars of 1806. Judd-34 was struck in a close collar with 200 edge reeds, but the borders still exhibit the cigar-shaped dentils of the pre-1804 era.
Posted 12/26/2023 8:06 pm
