1857 Double Eagle Die Trial - J-A1857-9, Reverse

Coin Details

Auction Record

$20,400 MS64RB 01-14-2019 Heritage Auctions

Description

This reverse die trial represents yet another variety in the sequence of 1857 double eagle die tests cataloged in the Judd appendix, joining J-A1857-7 and J-A1857-8 as reverse die trial specimens from the same year. The existence of multiple reverse die trial varieties from a single year reflects the demanding production requirements of the twenty-dollar gold piece — the Mint used and replaced dies frequently due to the extreme pressure required to fully strike such a large, thick coin. Each die trial variety documents a different die state or a different working die sunk from the same hub. The reverse design remains Longacre's heraldic eagle composition, which had served the double eagle denomination since its introduction in 1850. The spread eagle with shield, olive branch, and arrows conveyed national strength and prosperity at a time when the United States was asserting its place among the world's major economic powers through the sheer volume of gold coinage flowing from its mints. Longacre's double eagle reverse is notable for its intricate detail — every feather in the eagle's plumage, every leaf on the olive branch, and every letter in the inscriptions had to transfer cleanly under a single blow of the coining press. Die trials allowed the Mint to verify that transfer before committing gold planchets. The J-A1857-9 designation places this at the end of the known 1857 reverse die trial sequence, representing a later die state or a replacement die tested near the end of the production year.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. Multiple reverse die trial varieties from a single year for the double eagle are unusual; each J-A1857 variety is known in only one to three specimens.

Cross References

Judd-A1857-9