1792 EAGLE-ON-GLOBE QUARTER PATTERN

One of four existing 1792 Judd-13 Eagle-on-Globe quarter dollar patterns, among the earliest pieces produced by the fledgling US Mint, appears fresh to market in Heritage Auctions' U.S. Coins Signature Auction, April 22-26 on HA.com.

"As one of the hobby's most coveted patterns, we're proud to bring this piece of numismatic and U.S. history to auction," said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions. "The inclusion of a white metal 1792 Eagle-on-Globe quarter in a sale is a landmark event."

The 1792 Judd-13 pattern, NGC AU58, is recognized as the work of Joseph Wright. Wright worked with the U.S. Mint to perfect the quarter dollar spanning various metal compositions, edge devices, reeding, planchet thickness, collar usage and die alignment. The result was a pattern coin composed of white metal.

Just two specimens were known to the hobby until 2002, when two additional white metal specimens were recognized in a museum display of Colonial coinage. The two coins were authenticated as Joseph Wright pieces, and the spectacular discovery doubled the known population from two to four.

An announcement of the discovery was made on May 17, 2003, as part of the American Numismatic Society's Coinage of the Americas Conference, and the coins were chronicled on the front page of Coin World on June 9, 2003.

The coins carry impeccable provenance, coming from the New-York Historical Society Museum & Library. The Museum will retain one of the two virtually identical specimens for research and display.

The 1792 Judd-13 pattern Eagle-on-Globe is well known within American numismatics. Several of the New York pattern coppers of 1787 employ the device, including the Excelsior, George Clinton and Standing Indian types (Breen 989, 990 and 991). The New York state coat of arms incorporated the Eagle-on-Globe in 1778. Later, the New York state flag and seal in turn included the coat of arms. The Erie Canal medal of 1826 (HK-1) depicts the New York coat of arms, including the Eagle-on-Globe design.

The present coin's silver-gray surface features a female bust on the obverse with the word LIBERTY above and clearly legible date below, while the reverse depicts an eagle with outstretched wings beneath the words "United States of America."

Bidding opens April 2. For more information on the 1792 Judd-13 pattern Eagle-on-Globe pattern and Heritage Auctions' April 22-26 U.S. Coins Signature Auction is available at HA.com/1329 .

"I have been fascinated with the Eagle-on-Globe patterns since 1986 when I examined a copper example at the Smithsonian. Now 229 years after they are dated, there are still more questions than answers about these pieces.

"The Heritage description states that the Judd-13 pattern, "is recognized as the work of Joseph Wright." This is recognized only because it has been stated by previous writers long after the fact. There is no contemporary proof that they were done by Wright, or even that they were struck in 1792, as they are dated.

"The artistic style is very different from the other 1792 patterns indicating that a different artist was responsible. They do not include the "Liberty Parent of Science and Industry" legend and do not bear a denomination. They are not the proper size for a quarter pattern. Another curious feature is that the reverse die is about 2 mm larger than the obverse die.

"Being one of four known examples would make the current piece an extreme rarity. However, there are differences within those four pieces. The two pieces held by the New- York Historical Society were struck in collar while the other two were struck out of collar. Thus the coin currently offered will be unique in private hands.

"I hope this coin will find a home with an appreciative collector rather than a dealer who hopes to make a profit on a later sale."