HARVEY STACK ON THE FIRST 1794 DOLLAR

In Baltimore, I spent some time discussing the 1794 Silver dollar with John Danreuther. We have the same opinion regarding if the Silver dollar was probably the first one struck, after the Copper Example, that Stack's gave to the Smithsonian, to be part of the National Collection.

The Stack family felt the "very first example" which was struck as a test or trial piece in copper was so important that it should be in the National Collection, and therefore took it from their collection of rarities and gave it to the United States.

As the silver piece, just sold, has a most unusual special surface, and very detailed striking, not seen that sharp on any other silver coins on both obverse and reverse, it is my opinion that the Mint selected a planchet which needed to be enhanced with more silver, and as a dollar represented a weight (showing full value at the time) they then adjusted the weight by "filing" to make a perfect weight and as beautiful example as they could to show that the new American Government could produce a coin that would not be subjected to criticism because we could not get the WEIGHT CORRECT.

Of course this is my personal opinion of the coin we recently sold, as no one has yet shown or told me of a better reason that such a perfect strike, with special surfaces was made for any other reason.

If one really thinks about what a coin is, it is an expression of weight that is also likened to a value in precious metal, at a given or accepted figure, and used as a convenient method of trade to enhance, rather than barter, one item to another. Once it is recognized as being correct expression of value, the need for barter is substituted by a coin of value in exchange for goods and services of like value.

To answer the question by a skeptic "Was you there, Charlie?," I answer "Of course not!" But the discussions I had with others while we owned the copper specimen, and evaluations given to me about the Silver Specimen, I have no other course to consider than it "Probably was the First example of a United States Silver Dollar dated 1794 Struck In Silver"!!

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: DANNREUTHER REPLY ON THE FIRST 1794 DOLLAR (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n12a17.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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