1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies??
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dno36
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Post subject: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:56 am |
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Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 7:07 pm Posts: 34
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RHM22
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:03 am |
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Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:27 am Posts: 639
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Well, over 100,000 were minted in that year, so more than one die must have been used. Are you looking for the classification or identification number of your coin?
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Daniel
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:40 am |
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Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:59 pm Posts: 1498 Location: Ohio
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You might be onto something, at first I thought it might be a contact mark making the ear round, but the distortion of the denticles is not a contact mark. 133,000 plus where made, and it's obvious that more than one die was used, and it appears there might be a difference.
Doe the reverses have any differences, and can you post pictures? Correct me if I'm wrong, but gold planchets where usually made in places like California, then shipped to Philly, so it's possible for a design change or alteration to occur.
_________________ http://coinauctionshelp.com
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RHM22
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:07 am |
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Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:27 am Posts: 639
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I know some proofs were struck for this date. Could it be possible that a proof die was used on yours?
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dno36
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 5:15 am |
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Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 7:07 pm Posts: 34
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RHM22 wrote: I know some proofs were struck for this date. Could it be possible that a proof die was used on yours? No RHM, this is a regular die strike. I have to downsize my pics to post. I'll add one here. Thanks Dean

1902 quarter-eagle teardrop ear canal.jpg [ 59.4 KiB | Viewed 3 times ]
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RHM22
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 7:03 am |
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Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:27 am Posts: 639
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I know it's a business strike, but sometimes dies that were intended for use on proofs but not polished were used for business strikes.
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Daniel
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 10:12 am |
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Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:59 pm Posts: 1498 Location: Ohio
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dno36
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:22 pm |
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Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 7:07 pm Posts: 34
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Daniel wrote: What we need is a picture of a proof 1902, but usually the die design is the same. Let me see if I can track one down... Thanks Dean.
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dno36
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:37 pm |
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OK, the Heritage site has a bunch of them. I have attached 2.
1st, let me throw out my opinion here....
I do not believe this to be a proof coin. I have a few older proofs that have been handled, and they all retain that "Mirror" look surrounding the high points and show dulling into the open fields. This coin while stellar for its age has an even slightly matte finish throughout the entire field edge-to-edge.
That being said, most of the pics of proofs show a tear-drop ear canal, however a couple have a round canal as well....now I'm stumped.
Dean.

1902 Proof - quarter-eagle teardrop ear canal.jpg [ 77.74 KiB | Not viewed yet ]
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dno36
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:42 pm |
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dno36 wrote: OK, the Heritage site has a bunch of them. I have attached 2.
1st, let me throw out my opinion here....
I do not believe this to be a proof coin. I have a few older proofs that have been handled, and they all retain that "Mirror" look surrounding the high points and show dulling into the open fields. This coin while stellar for its age has an even slightly matte finish throughout the entire field edge-to-edge.
That being said, most of the pics of proofs show a tear-drop ear canal, however a couple have a round canal as well....now I'm stumped.
Dean. Added MS65 Coin here.

1902 Proof MS65 - quarter-eagle teardrop ear canal.jpg [ 71.23 KiB | Not viewed yet ]
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RHM22
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 7:01 pm |
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Like I mentioned above, sometimes proof dies were used for business strikes. They weren't polished yet, but were originally intended to be. In other words, business strikes struck from proof dies will not always show the characteristics of a proof, because they were not polished. I'm not saying that's what your coin is, but I think it is a possibility.
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dno36
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:03 pm |
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RHM22 wrote: Like I mentioned above, sometimes proof dies were used for business strikes. They weren't polished yet, but were originally intended to be. In other words, business strikes struck from proof dies will not always show the characteristics of a proof, because they were not polished. I'm not saying that's what your coin is, but I think it is a possibility. Yes, that would explain the differences in the 2 coins. Good Call. D.
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RHM22
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:05 pm |
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Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:27 am Posts: 639
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I think there's a website somewhere for gold varieties. Let me see if I can find it.
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RHM22
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:13 pm |
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I can't seem to find the web site. Maybe it's not around anymore, or maybe I was thinking of something else. Unfortunately, very little research has been done in gold die varieties, so there's next to nothing to go by. John Dannreuther has a book out on gold die varieties, but it only covers early gold, so yours won't be in there. Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins might have it, but I don't own a copy and it costs over $300 used. It's been out of print for years and used to be up on a website, free for all the view, but they took it down for some reason. You might be able to find a copy at your local library if it hasn't been stolen and sold on eBay.
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Daniel
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 10:37 pm |
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Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:59 pm Posts: 1498 Location: Ohio
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Alright, since I don't think it has anything to do with an unpolished die, let's see if it's a transitional coin. Meaning, the reverse of the coin was struck with an earlier die. I looked on Heritage, and I can see both ear types. I think you should contact Ken Potter, and see if he knows anything about it. You might have discovered an alternate type that has missed detection, or a type that is considered so common that it's not worth anymore than the other ear type.
_________________ http://coinauctionshelp.com
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RHM22
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:45 am |
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If Ken Potter doesn't know (he probably won't), you could try John Dannreuther. The only book he wrote on the subject was about early U.S. gold, but he still might know about your variety. He was the founder of PCGS back in the '80s. jdrc@mindspring.comI'm not sure if that e-mail will work, but it's the only one I could find.
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dno36
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Post subject: Re: 1902 Quarter Eagle Different dies?? Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:07 pm |
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Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 7:07 pm Posts: 34
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Thanks for the help all. I have been swamped with work (good thing) and haven't been able to pursue this farther.
I did however look at 1902 proofs online and....they ALL seem to have the teardrop shaped ear canal, which has peaked my curiosity.
I will do some additional work on this over the weekend.
Thank Again
Dean.
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