1878 Hub Trial - J-A1878-3, Reverse

Coin Details

Description

This reverse hub trial from 1878 is cataloged as Judd appendix A1878-3. The specific denomination is not definitively identified from the title alone, though the sequential Judd numbering alongside J-A1878-4 (the half eagle obverse hub trial) indicates it may be related to the same series or another gold denomination being tested concurrently. Hub trials capture the impression of a master hub, the positive-image tool used to sink working dies. Testing the reverse hub separately from the obverse was standard Mint practice, as each side of a coin uses its own hub and die. The year 1878 was notable at the Philadelphia Mint for the introduction of the Morgan dollar, which required entirely new hubs and dies, as well as continued production of the long-running Liberty Head gold denominations. Reverse hub trials from this period provide evidence of the Mint's die-making workflow, in which the obverse and reverse elements were prepared, tested, and approved independently before being paired for production. The survival of this piece outside the Mint indicates it was preserved as a curiosity or reference specimen rather than being destroyed after its testing purpose was fulfilled.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Single-sided hub trials are internal Mint products and rarely enter collector hands. Very few 1878 hub trials are documented.

Cross References

Judd A1878-3; Pollock; United States Mint, Philadelphia