1872 Three-Dollar

HBCC#:

6104

Breen#:

n/a

BD#:

n/a

Judd#:

1236

Pollock#:

1378

This is an extremely important pattern issue. Although a number of “die trials” were issued from the regular dies for the denomination, in various metals, this is the only pattern issue of the three-dollar denomination to feature a different design! Noted numismatic scholar Thomas DeLorey communicated the following to Andrew Pollock: “The $3 of this series may have been a hasty afterthought, as it seems to have been engraved from the head and eagle punches as reduced for the $2.50 size.”

Provenance:

From Stack's sale of the DiBello Collection, May 1970, Lot 481.

Obverse:

Capped head of Liberty to left, LIBERTY on band of cap, hair gathered behind head, flowing into field, 13 stars around, date below.

Reverse:

Eagle with spread wings standing at center, left talons on shield, ribbon on shield reads IN GOD WE TRUST, three arrows in right talons, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around, THREE DOL. below.

Commentary:

"Judd-1236. Proof. Copper gilt Pattern, Barber design. Rev. Standing eagle later used on the so-called Bailly design of the trade dollar (Judd-1281)."