1875 20C J-1399 (Proof)

Judd 1399 is a proposed design for a Twenty Cent piece. The obverse features a seated figure of Liberty with her left hand on a globe and her right arm extended with an olive branch in her hand. The obverse is similar to that of the Trade Dollar, with some differences. Of great interest (and debate) is the presence of a paddle-wheel steamer on the horizon in the left field. The sails billow in a direction opposite that of the flag atop the mast and the smoke coming out of the smokestack. While this seems to be impossible in terms of physics, it is, in fact, possible if the ship is sailing upwind and close to the wind. The reverse is nearly identical to the final design adopted in 1875, with only minor differences. This is a fairly scarce pattern coin, with between 12 and 20 examples known. The finest example is an NGC PR67 that last appeared on the market in 2004. A few examples show Deep Cameo contrast and we suspect more will show up as older certified examples come in for re-examination.