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V19 2016 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 19, Number 46, November 13, 2016, Article 10

Bill Nyberg, author of Robert Scot - Engraving Liberty submitted these notes on how dies in the early mint were described. Thanks! Readers can click on the image to read a larger version on our Flickr archive. -Editor

Some interesting additions to lasts week's topic on "head die" terminology at the US Mint and in the Wiley-Bugert half dollar book. The usage of "head Die" to describe an obverse die was first recorded at the US Mint in December of 1794 by Chief Engraver Robert Scot in his draft engraving report to Congress. This report was mentioned by authors Don Taxay and Robert Hilt, and was first published in the August, 2012 John Reich Journal in my article "Robert Scot's Engraving Report to the Congressional Committee on the Mint."

Scot also used "reverse Die" and did not use "Tail Die." An excerpt of Scot's report follows, along with an image of the same section of the original report, courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 104, Folder 14:

"With a compleat success in the preceeding processes which has hardly ever happened, a head Die as above may be finished in a day. The same may be reckoned on the half Cent head Die, and the same length of time for the Dies of their respective reverses. All other Dies are subject to the foregoing preparations and incidental circumstances. The dollar Original Die [now called master die] for the head, will take six or eight days. The same Die for its reverse, nearly the same time; and after the Hubbs are compleated, a head Die for striking money may be finished in two days, and the same Die of the reverse in the same time nearly. The half Dollar Dies, original and others in all their various processes may take nearly the same time with the Dollar Dies under the same circumstances. The half Disme Original Die for the head, may take about five days, and its reverse Die of the same kind, six. A day for the former and a day and a half for the latter in finishing the Coining Dies may be sufficient."