1805 Quarter Pattern - J-35

Coin Details

Auction Record

$21,600 MS65BN 01-03-2018 Heritage Auctions

Description

Judd-35 is a copper die trial of the 1805 Draped Bust quarter with Heraldic Eagle reverse. The obverse features Robert Scot's Draped Bust portrait of Liberty facing right with flowing hair, LIBERTY above, stars flanking, and the date 1805 below. The reverse displays the Heraldic Eagle bearing a shield on its breast, clutching an olive branch and arrows, encircled by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The 1805 quarter had a reported mintage of 121,394 pieces struck in silver for circulation. This copper die trial was struck to test the quarter dies in base metal, a standard Mint practice for preserving die states and verifying quality before silver production commenced. Copper die trials of early Draped Bust quarters are exceptionally rare, with this piece being among the few surviving physical records of the die preparation process for early 19th-century quarter dollar coinage.

Rarity Notes

R.8. Extremely rare; be unique or nearly so.

Cross References

Pollock-45