1815 Quarter Hub Trial - Pollock-8040, Reverse

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,880 AU50BN 04-03-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

This reverse hub trial of an 1815 quarter carries the Pollock-8040 catalog number and documents the master hub used to create working dies for the Capped Bust quarter denomination. The year 1815 is notable in American numismatic history as one of limited Mint production — the War of 1812 had disrupted normal operations, and the Mint was struggling with equipment failures, bullion shortages, and workforce challenges. No quarter dollars were struck for circulation in 1815 (regular production resumed in 1818), making this hub trial a significant artifact from a gap year in the quarter series. The reverse design features the spread eagle with shield, olive branch, and arrows in the style that John Reich created for the Capped Bust coinage series. As a hub trial, this piece was produced by pressing the master hub — the hardened steel tool bearing the raised reverse design — into a blank to verify the quality of the hub's engraving. Hub trials are rarer than die trials because each hub produced multiple working dies, so fewer hub impressions were needed for quality control. The Pollock reference number system, developed by Andrew W. Pollock III as an alternative to the Judd numbers, provides a comprehensive catalog of American pattern and trial pieces that includes items not covered in the Judd reference.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. Hub trials from the Capped Bust quarter series are exceptionally scarce; the 1815 date — a year with no regular quarter production — adds further significance.

Cross References

Pollock-8040