Several readers submitted thoughts on the 1804 Dollar articles Pete Smith compiled.
-Garrett

Pete Smith's extensive listing of 1804 Dollar stories are interesting. I can remember being introduced to the legendary "King of Coins" as a kid through comic book advertising. All three ads pictured were from the coin department of Best Values Co. of Newark (and later, East Orange) New Jersey, which has long since disappeared. It's interesting to note the $9,985.00 quote is from the 1962 catalog being offered, while the $11,750.00 quote is from the 1964 and 1973 catalogs. Hard to believe the price of a 1804 Dollar had not moved during that nine year span despite the great coin boom of the 1960's. Best Values Company were obviously more interested in selling the reader a cheap catalog for $1.00 when you have purchased the latest edition of Yeoman's Red Book for $1.75. But you gotta love the tag line: "19,000 minted -only 12 accounted for - where are the rest?"

There's an 1803 that was made into a 1804 coming in the last Holabird sale. Watch for it! Catalog should be on the internet next week.

Two of 478 articles that I found.

A classic sale of a fabulous collection. This 1804 dollar was an authentic one - a Class I "Original". Interesting that the gold Washington piece brought $500 when the 1804 Dollar sold for $325. See the next article in this issue for Pete's discussion of 1804 dollar fakes and replicas - the Cohen collection had some of those, too. -Editor

This article's a nice (for the day) intro to U.S. numismatics. It doesn't discuss any specific 1804 dollar (real or fake), but it does include an example of the 1804 dollar misinformation so prevalent at the time. -Editor

Regarding Pete Smith's fascinating 1804 Dollar Stories, the first listing is from the Richmond Independent Telegram dated September 22, 1866. Interestingly, in the American Journal of Numismatics, Vol. I, No. 4, August 1866, p. 32, there is a note dated July 11, 1866, from a certain "Giascutus" of Richmond, who writes:

"A few days since I was shown an 1804 dollar (American) in perfect condition. It is in the possession of a gentleman of this city."