The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-06-17
THE DOLLAR OF 1904.
One Sold Recently For S2,ooo-Why
It Is So Rare.
New York Sun.

specimen Q: ~ i;:i.:''u> 1904 uni!ar
has aroused c-.a; ir.:l ri discussion
among coin d:a::.-S ana cni:rt;orS as
to the cNac; $751;. g.. -, ';:r@:,: -:
American CONS Thor: seems t" DC
a growing disposition :" believe tha;
there ar: really 30 ur'gi1a! dollars
of this date. and th2: The specimens
now in the hands -: iaillismatlst.'.
are nothing more ;'::;gn Tc%:rikcs. That
dies were mad" :.rr a d"ii2r o1 this
year is unquestinned. ;:,I ~ opinion
is strongly held that =. c"i.:' were
stamped with them i: ;,''s
The scarcity "i tl~ 49,; dollars is
explained generally =: iwv theories.
First, that the entire i:>.':' -; nat year
was sent to China and lh;:: he vessel
bearing it iounde:-d Consequently,
all the dollars OF that date were lost.
with the exception oi 2 lew kept at
the mint.
The other theory. which is more
generally accep:ci :'1,2:1 the first, is
that the whole "utp"t oi dollars of
of that year were >"n, 70 the
Mediterranean aboard Z man-ot-war
to pay off our soldiers and sailors
who were engaged ii the war with
Tripoli. In this way. il is supposed
that the coins We're scattered al! over
Europe. but few found their way TO
this country again.
Even the director OF the United
States mint at Philadelphia seems TO
be sceptical OF the genuineness or the
fine specimen OF this coin which lies
in the coin cabinet OF that institution.
During the first few years OF the op-
Grafton OF the mint imperfect records
were kept OF the output. and there is
no exact knowledge OF the mintage
of 1904 dollars. although lo.52o pieces
are said to have been struck.
There are II 1904 dollars known TO
be in existence which appear to be
genuine. The whole history OF each
one is carefully kept by all dealers.
The specimen sold is known as No.
II. and was sold to H. G. Brown. of
Portland. Ore. It is identified as one
recently sold by .Adolph Weyl in Ber-
lin and bought by an American COL
lector and brought to this country.
Later. in 1886. it was sold at Philadel-
phia, being purchased by J. B. Dexter.
Of Denver. 1t was afterward sold to
Mr.. Paryin. who disposed OF it,
The design Of this coin is a draped
bust OF Liberty. with flowing hair,
bound with hllet. the head facing
to the right, There are six stars be-
fore and seven behind, the bust.
On the reverse there is an eagle.
bearing on his breast a broad shield
and carrying in his desk scroll in
scribed F PluribuS Unum. with l.
arrows in the right talon and a
branch OF olives. in the lett. Clouds
ahoat between the outstretched
wings OF the eagle on the upper part
Of the coin.
In the field beneath are IS stars and
United States Of America" the edge
is lettered with "One Hundred
Cents. One Dollar. or Unit" these
letters being lightly struck in places.
In 1889 a number OF restrikes were
made at the mint. In this year
cleanup OF all the old dies vas made,
and many OF the old CONS were re-
struck. among them being a num-
Der OF rare copper cents. Then all
OF the dies were destroyed
The re<:ruck 1907 dollars had many
minor differences from whas are said
TO be the original coins. Some, OF
the reStrikes had plain edges. while
Others did 40; contain all The letters
on III: edge. but repeated some OF
them several times This wa, Or &C
count OF tie lettering having beer
;Iorc with several pieces ri collars
\ coin. with these irDp"rirttlonS.
was sold i; 'hr Berg c'.!Ir:li"r il
1883 for $40. which goes TO show
whether they are genuine or not. still
there arc s"H1" people who are will.