PCGS VF20. Unique. Ex - J.W. Haseltine - R. Coulton Davis - Lorin Parmelee collection 6/1890:11, where it was described as "Good" - G.D. Woodside, 4/1982 - William H. Woodin - Waldo Newcomer - F.C.C. Boyd - Dr. J. Hewitt Judd - Abe Kosoff's "Illustrated History", 1962:23 - Sotheby's, 12/1973 - Rarcoa - Bowers & Ruddy's "Getty" 5/1977:1835, $15,000.00, where it became "VF" - Stack's "Auction '80" 8/1980, $21,000.00, described there as "VF" - Bowers & Merena, Inc.'s "Aspen" ANA sale, 8/1989:741 - Goldbergs "Benson, Part 1" 2/2001:153, $92,000

Images of this coin appear in the Adams-Woodin, Judd, and Pollock references. Haseltine mentioned this very coin in his circa 1881 Type Table sale catalog.

Notes: Judd thought the obverse of this trial piece was an uncompleted version of the die used to strike 1794 Silver Dollars for circulation. However, Pollock claims to have made side-by-side comparisons between this piece and several 1794 Silver Dollar circulation strikes; he found enough differences to conclude that the obverses were different dies. The U.S. Patterns website (www.uspatterns.com) notes: "It is a different obverse die with minute differences in date placement, neck length, hair treatment and others.

The reverse of this piece also appears on 1794 Silver Dollars struck for circulation (1794 Bolender 1).

Compare with the unique 1794 "With Stars" One Dollar Die Trial in Copper (Judd 19) that used both dies from the circulation strikes.

Sources and/or recommended reading: "United States Pattern, Experimental and Trial Pieces" by J. Hewitt Judd, M.D.

"United States Patterns And Related Issues" by Andrew W. Pollock III

Website at www.uspatterns.com

e-mail correspondence from Saul Teichman, December 21, 2000