1885 Proof Dollar Pattern - J-1749, Lettered Edge

Coin Details

Auction Record

$34,500 • PR65 PCGS OGH • 01-2009 • Stack's Bowers

Description

Judd-1749 is the aluminum companion to the silver J-1747, combining the standard Morgan dollar design with Superintendent Snowden's experimental raised lettered edge — but struck in aluminum rather than silver. The obverse carries George T. Morgan's Liberty portrait and the reverse his heraldic eagle, both from the standard 1885 Morgan dollar dies. The edge features the raised inscription E PLURIBUS UNUM separated by stars, produced using the same tripartite segmented collar developed for the J-1747 silver striking. This pairing of the lettered edge innovation with an aluminum planchet represents a doubly experimental piece: the edge treatment tested an anti-counterfeiting security feature, while the aluminum composition continued the Mint's fascination with the exotic lightweight metal. The aluminum lettered-edge combination is considerably rarer than its silver counterpart, with approximately 5 to 8 specimens estimated. The lower survival rate reflects a smaller original mintage, as fewer aluminum strikings were typically produced compared to pieces in standard metals. Heritage Auctions and Stack's Bowers have handled examples in recent decades, with prices reflecting both the pattern's intrinsic rarity and the enduring popularity of Morgan dollar-related material among collectors. Like J-1747, this pattern is sometimes referred to as a "Snowden Dollar" in modern references, honoring the Mint Superintendent whose anti-counterfeiting initiative generated the lettered edge experiment.

Rarity Notes

R-7-. Approximately 5 to 8 specimens estimated. Substantially rarer than the silver lettered-edge J-1747.

Cross References

Judd J-1749, Pollock P-1961