1082

Facsimile US $20 Die

Currency:USD Category:Antiques Start Price:1,250.00 USD Estimated At:2,500.00 USD and UP
Facsimile US $20 Die
Preview
Holabird-Kagin Americana Office
3555 Airway Drive Suite#309
Reno, NV 89511
Thursday August22, 10am-6pm
* Preview also available by appointment

Live Auction
Friday & Saturday
August 23 & 24, 2013
9am PDT starting time, both days

Location
Atlantis Casino & Resort
Grand Ballroom #4
3800 S. Virginia Street
Reno, NV 89502

Lot Pick Up
Holabird-Kagin Americana Office
3555 Airway Drive Suite #309
Reno, NV 89511
Sunday August 25, 10am-1pm

-US $20 Reverse Type III, die facsimile. Trapezoidal die, 2 3/8 x 2.5" on top, 2.5 x 2.75" on bottom, 2" thick. SN 27992. Unknown maker. 39mm. This die is nearly identical to a Type III US $20, except it is 39mm instead of 34mm, and it has an "8" punched sideways in the Eagle`s neck. In addition, the denticles around the edge are all uniform length, except a single denticle at exactly 6 o`clock, where a single denticle is 1.5 times longer than all the rest. While this die initially looks like a die for a coin that dates as far back as the mid to late 1860`s to 1870`s, it must be a modern creation. We had our friend Ken Hopple inspect the piece, a metals engineer who also operates, maintains and repairs the Carson City Mint No. 1 Coin Press. Mr. Hopple studied the die under microscopy, and tells us it is a product of Electro Discharge Machining, possibly made in the 1950-1970 period. Bubbling in the fields, accompanied by rounded letters where sharper straight lines should occur in conjunction with the "8" in the Eagle`s neck as well as the enlarged size indicate this must be a semi-modern product, though technically an antique today. This piece was rumored to be a counterfeit Confederate die, but we don`t think so. It may have been used for a store card reverse, but we haven't seen a piece with this reverse. It was also suggested that it might be a die used for an early shell card $20 store card, but again have not seen this reverse, and Hopple feels it is post-1950. HKA#63234