1798 Dollar Die Trial - J-25a, Copper Scrap

Coin Details

Description

This die trial was struck on an irregular piece of copper scrap using the dies of an 1798 Draped Bust dollar, creating one of the most visually distinctive early American numismatic artifacts. The use of scrap copper rather than a prepared planchet indicates this was an informal die test — a quick impression taken by a Mint worker to check the condition of the dies before beginning a production run in silver. The obverse features Robert Scot's Draped Bust Liberty portrait, one of the defining images of early American coinage, while the reverse displays the Heraldic Eagle design with shield, arrows, olive branch, and constellation of stars. The 1798 dollar was produced in significant quantities — over 327,000 pieces across multiple die varieties cataloged by Bolender — making it one of the more available early dollar dates in silver. This die trial in copper, however, is a different matter entirely. The Judd-25a designation places it in the formal pattern and die trial catalog, though its informal copper-scrap composition indicates it was never intended for numismatic distribution. Die trials on scrap metal are among the most authentic records of the Mint's daily operations, created for purely practical purposes without any thought of future collectors. Their survival is often a matter of chance — a piece tossed aside after inspection that happened to be picked up and preserved.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. Die trials of early dollars on copper scrap are among the most unusual Mint artifacts, with most known in unique or near-unique specimens.

Cross References

Judd-25a; Pollock-28